How the West should respond to the Iranian uprising
The US and its partners should stand in solidarity with the protesters while keeping the diplomatic route open on the nuclear front.
Ellie Geranmayeh is a senior policy fellow and deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She specializes in European foreign policy in relation to Iran, particularly on the nuclear and regional dossiers and sanctions policy.
Geranmayeh advised European governments and companies on the nuclear negotiations between Iran and world powers from 2013-2015 and continues to brief senior policy makers on how to effectively safeguard the implementation of the nuclear agreement. Her research focus also covers wider regional dynamics including post-ISIS stabilisation and geopolitical trends in the Middle East.
She is regularly quoted by international media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, and appears on CNN, Al-Jazeera and the BBC to provide commentary on regional developments. Prior to joining ECFR, Geranmayeh worked at Herbert Smith Freehills law firm. She graduated in Law from the University of Cambridge.
The US and its partners should stand in solidarity with the protesters while keeping the diplomatic route open on the nuclear front.
The military alignment risks heightened conflict in the Middle East — without weakening Iran’s geopolitical position or nuclear program.
With JCPOA talks restarting, European leaders must take their chance to prevent military escalation and further turmoil in energy markets.
There are creative ways to get back into the JCPOA and handle removing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the foreign terrorist list.