You are cordially invited to attend the talk “Iran and Europe: Friend or Foe?”, the sixth in the series of discussions being held in Spain by CITPax as part of its Iran Dialogues Series and the Iran Regional Perspectives project. This session will be co-hosted by the IE School of International Relations and is sponsored by LSE Enterprise (Spain).

The role of the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton appears to have been pivotal in the negotiations between Iran and the G5+1 in reaching an interim agreement on the nuclear issue.

Yet the actual role of the EU overall in relation to Iran is far from clear. Europe still straddles between a firmer American position towards Iran and the desire and interest in a permanent diplomatic solution. To what extent might the ever-present possibility of failure of the nuclear negotiations process cause a disconnect between the US and Europe, should it be caused by the US reneging on the provisional agreement?

What is Europe´s role in the future and what is Europe´s strategic interest in this issue? Can it transcend its apparent risk-aversion and create an improved relationship with Iran, and what might be the parameters of a constructive future relationship between the two? How might that differ from the EU’s relationships with other countries in the region? How might Iran’s “red lines” influence such a relationship? Does southern Europe (particularly Spain, Italy and even Greece) offer the opportunity for a new European role vis a vis Iran?

Dr. Rouzbeh Parsi was formerly a Senior Analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies (2009-2013) specialising in the domestic political developments of Iran and their foreign policy implications, governance and political culture in Iran and Iraq, and regional relations. He is a specialist in Iran, Iraq and the Persian Gulf; and has worked on the development and change of political concepts such as modernisation, religion, nationalism and secularisation. Dr. Parsi is currently Senior Lecturer in the Department of Human Rights at Lund University, Sweden, and is the Director of the European Iran Research Group.

The conference will be heeld in Madrid, on Thursday 13 February 2014 from 17:00 to 18:30 at room E108 (Maria de Molina 4)

Please kindly confirm attendance to International.Relations@ie.edu