Araghchi: Greenland Threat is a “Blowback” for Europe’s Past Policies

WANA (Jan 21) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has characterized the European Union’s current diplomatic challenges as a direct consequence of its past failure to uphold international agreements, specifically referencing President Trump’s recent threats regarding Greenland.

In a post on the social media platform X, Araghchi highlighted the irony of European reactions to shifting U.S. policies. He noted that when the U.S. violates an agreement signed with the EU only six months ago, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “suddenly springs to action,” insisting that a deal is a deal and that a handshake must carry meaning.

The “Blowback” of JCPOA Non-Compliance

Araghchi described Europe’s current predicament as the “very definition of blowback.” He criticized the E3 (France, Germany, and the UK) and the EU for their actions during Donald Trump’s first term, accapplying them of “faithfully obeying” and even abetting the U.S. when it unilaterally withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA).

“In doing so,” Araghchi wrote, “they should have believed about today.”

A Warning for the International Order

The Foreign Minister argued that there is a singular lesson to be learned from these developments: either all agreements are honored, or no diplomatic gesture holds value. He warned that the latter leads to nothing less than the “breakdown of the international order.”

Greenland as a Case in Point

Araghchi pointed to Trump’s threat to take over Greenland “by any means” as a stark example of this breakdown. He concluded by stating, ” Mr. Trump’s threat to take over Greenland by any means—unlawful as it is under any conception of international law or even a “rules-based order”—could not happen to a more deserving continent.”