EU extends olive branch to Iran's new president amid criticisms

The European Union offered an olive branch to Iran's president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian amid warnings by Iranian opposition figures and dissidents against any "appeasement" with the Islamic Republic's new government.

Nabila Massrali, the spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, extended congratulations to Pezeshkian, saying the EU stands ready to engage with his administration.

"We are ready to engage with the new government in line with EU policy of critical engagement," Massrali tweeted on Saturday.

The comments came a few hours after Iran’s exiled prince warned Western powers against appeasing the Islamic Republic's new president, saying the Iranian people would view it as a betrayal of their struggle for freedom.

"The people of Iran will view any attempts to appease this new lackey (Masoud Pezeshkian) as a treacherous offense to their ongoing movement for liberation and a shameful abdication of moral leadership," Prince Reza Pahlavi said in a post on his X account.

The EU’s continued strategy of dialogue and economic interaction despite Iran's "hostage-taking" policy has been widely criticized for its leniency towards Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The EU's reluctance to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization has been a point of contention, particularly in light of the IRGC's involvement in supporting militant groups across the Middle East, including in Lebanon and Syria, and in sponsoring attacks throughout Europe.

Critics argue that by not taking a firmer stance, the EU is allowing the IRGC to operate with impunity, thereby undermining international efforts to secure peace and promote global security.

This policy, often described as appeasement, aims to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) and manage regional security threats through diplomacy rather than direct confrontation.

However, the approach has faced opposition from the United States and several EU member states, who see it as inadequate in addressing the threats posed by Iran's foreign and military policies.

Supporters within the EU maintain that open diplomatic channels are essential for future negotiations and potential conflict de-escalation, cautioning that more aggressive policies could lead to greater regional instability.

Iran’s former foreign minister Javad Zarif, the architect of the 2015 nuclear deal who has campaigned for president-elect Pezeshkian relentlessly in recent weeks, said on Saturday the world must “listen and engage" with the government of Pezeshkian "in mutual respect, equal footing, and recognition of Iran's role in the world."

In a post on his X account, Zarif said the Islamic Republic is prepared to tackle its challenges, strengthen its relationships with neighboring countries, and reassert its "role in the emerging global order."

The first round of Iran's snap presidential election saw a voter turnout of 39.92%, the lowest in the history of the Islamic Republic. In the runoff votes, the official figures show a 10-percent rise in the number of voters, but still over 50 percent of eligible voters boycotted the election.

Still, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei claimed victory on Saturday, saying that the nearly 50-percent voter turnout neutralized calls to boycott the elections.