Iran faces tough European stance, agreement possible only on nuclear and missile limits

Washington: Pakistan is continuing its efforts to broker a peace agreement between Iran and the US, meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has clarified that any peace deal must include Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missiles.

Addressing the European Parliament, she said the European Union desires a lasting end to the war, however, according to her, the solution to the crisis is linked to the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

She warned that the ongoing war in the Middle East could affect Europe's economic security. She stated that the war in Iran is not far from Europe but is directly impacting the lives and security of European citizens.

Von der Leyen further stated that the war has resulted in an additional cost of 27 billion euros for Europe's energy imports.

At the same time, she emphasized that the ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon should be maintained through diplomatic efforts.

She also said that cooperation with Gulf Arab countries is essential to contain this crisis.

These statements come at a time when European countries are not directly involved in the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the US, mediated by Pakistan.

However, European officials have expressed concerns that President Donald Trump may reach an agreement with Iran that could have long-term negative consequences.

European officials have previously emphasized that any potential agreement must include Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missiles to prevent new crises in the future, as reported by Reuters.

It is worth mentioning that the first round of direct talks between the US and Iran took place in Islamabad in early April 2026, but it did not yield any results.

Meanwhile, Trump stopped his special envoy Steve Wietkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner from traveling to Islamabad, where they were expected to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who was reportedly going to present a new Iranian solution. However, according to US sources, the proposal was not acceptable to President Trump.

According to US officials, this action was taken to target Iran's "shadow banking network", through which billions of dollars in financial transactions were being carried out.

The US Department of the Treasury's subsidiary (Office of Foreign Assets Control) OFAC said in a statement that these individuals and companies facilitated Iran's evasion of sanctions and alleged support for terrorism. According to Reuters, authorities say that the network was involved in billions of dollars in opaque transactions that violate global sanctions.

US officials have warned that any company that pays "toll taxes" or fees to the Iranian government or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to pass through the Strait of Hormuz could also face severe sanctions.

It is worth noting that previously, on April 16, the US Treasury Department had imposed sanctions on 12 key Iranian figures, several companies, and ships. The individuals and companies affected by the sanctions were working for Mohammad Hussein Shamkhani.

Analysts say that this move is part of a policy to increase economic pressure on Iran, aimed at limiting its financial activities and reducing its influence in the region.