EU office in Tehran: Accelerating thaw or incubating sedition?

Last week, speculations were made that during her visit to Tehran, EU chief diplomat Federica Mogherini will discuss establishment of a permanent EU diplomatic mission in Tehran. Mogherini, who stepped in Tehran on October 28, 2016, was expected to discuss the issue, besides negotiations on Syria and implementation of JCPOA, after the nuclear deal in July 2015 thawed relations between Iran and the European Union.

Opening a center in Tehran was proposed by Brussels years ago; yet tense relations between Iran and the European Union during the nuclear standoff pushed the topic downwards in the agenda.

In Iran, Reformist and moderate media were optimistic about the suggestion. Asr-e Iran, moderate website affiliated with Majles Speaker Ali Larijani, welcomed likely opening of an EU mission, calling it a boost to Iran-EU trade ties. An EU office in Tehran could be effective in countering the waves of Iranophobia, especially regarding issues such as human rights and civil society, the website argued.

Javad Larijani, brother of Ali Larijani, spoke harshly against the suggestion nonetheless. The eldest brother of Larijanis, who as head of the judiciary’s High Council for the Human Rights holds frequent discussions with his European counterparts, called the prospective office derisively a “den of corruption”, stating that Europeans “neither deserve nor are qualified” to have such an office in Tehran. Brussels is trying to gain a foothold in Tehran to increase pressure over human rights issues Javad Larijani added.

An informed source in Iran’s Foreign Ministry told IRNA, state-run news agency, that establishing a diplomatic mission was not on the agenda of Zarif-Mogherini talks.

Yousef Molaei, international law expert who spoke to Vaght-e Iran website on the issue, believes that all EU members hold embassies in Tehran, and opening of an EU office will not lead to a significant turn in Tehran-Brussels relations. But who makes the final decision on (non)opening of the EU office in Tehran? “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” Molaei responds. However, it seems hardly likely that such a touchy issue will be decided only by Iranian diplomats.