This report outlines the potential for a more structured and strategic relationship
between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran following the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). To both address areas of disagreement and
complaints, as well as pursue common interests and matters of mutual benefit, the EU
needs to put in place an institutional framework that can withstand the various
setbacks that have, to date, derailed all previous efforts of political dialogue. There are
a number of areas where both actors can benefit from cooperation; trade,
environmental and sustainability issues, education, and combatting drug trade. Even
when pursuing more contentious issues such as human rights, having a strategic and
fully-fledged multilevel relationship will be helpful. There are also a number of
political crisis in the region (ISIS, migration) where reaching a solution without Iranian
involvement will either be unnecessarily costly or near impossible.