The calls of the United States to deploy in the Persian Gulf the US naval forces and allies from Europe (NATO countries) and Asia (South Korea, Japan) do not find much enthusiasm outside of Washington. The Americans are escalating the conflict with Iran, choosing the cause for the struggle for "free shipping" in the region (earlier, the Iranian military detained the British tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz).
For example, Paris and Berlin reacted coolly to the idea, making it clear that they did not want to aggravate the crisis in relations with Tehran. Germany and France hope to maintain a “nuclear deal” with Iran, as well as find a diplomatic way out of the difficult situation with mutual arrests (the Stena Impero incident was a response to the actions of the British authorities who detained the Iranian tanker Grace 1 on July 4 in the waters of Gibraltar).
European capitals understand that the United States is looking for an excuse to destabilize the situation. Therefore, the task of the European Union right now is to demonstrate its independence from Washington and provide Iran with additional security guarantees.
The lack of positive dynamics is causing a nervous reaction in Washington. The US ambassador to Berlin, Richard Grenell, has already hinted that it was the overseas partner who allowed Germany to take place as a state, and in general American taxpayers spend billions of dollars on the maintenance of 34 thousand of their soldiers in this country. At the same time, it is customary to associate the low interest in the official Berlin operation in the State Department with the influence of Russia, which is resisting harsh measures against its regional ally.
However, the United States has a number of trump cards in its sleeves. Firstly, American sanctions undermine Brussels' efforts to preserve the “nuclear deal”: trade relations between the EU and Iran are steadily deteriorating, and Tehran is becoming weighed down by the need to sacrifice its interests against the background of socio-economic difficulties. Secondly, the UK has not yet fully implemented Brexit, and is, in fact, a Trojan horse within the walls of Brussels. London is supporting US initiatives by introducing contention into a single anti-war stance by EU countries.
The combination of these factors allows the United States to hope that either the EU or Iran will make a mistake. In the medium term, Iran should be able to compete on equal terms with the military potential of its main regional adversary - Saudi Arabia. However, without nuclear technology or a strong economy, a balance of power will be in Riyadh's favor.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.