Policy Briefs & Reports

Mitigating US Sanctions on Iran: The Case for a Humanitarian Special Purpose Vehicle

In the face of US sanctions, exemptions for humanitarian trade in Iran are proving insufficient. In a new policy brief, ELN Policy Fellow Axel Hellman and co-author Esfandyar Batmanghelidj argue for the creation of a new humanitarian special purpose vehicle (H-SPV) to avoid any crises.

26 November 2018 | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Axel Hellman

 

Shouldering the Sanctions: A Future for EU-Iran Energy Cooperation

As the future of the Iran nuclear deal looks increasingly uncertain, European leaders must take measures to protect economic and political relations with Iran. Without European support for Iran’s energy sector, the JCPOA remains fragile and open to further setbacks. The European Leadership Network’s Policy Fellow, Axel Hellman, alongside Economist, Dr Bijan Khajehpour outline the strategic parameters to European investment in Iran’s energy sector, and report a significant overlap between Iran’s plans for the sector and European priorities.The report draws attention to the role of Small and Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and suggests that, if supported by adequate financial and legal structures, they have the potential to play a significant role in maintaining trade between Europe and Iran.

5 October 2018 | Dr Bijan Khajehpour and Axel Hellman

 

Europe, Iran, and Economic Sovereignty: A New Banking Architecture in Response to US Sanctions

With the international nuclear agreement with Iran in peril following the U.S. withdrawal from it, Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Axel Hellman present a vision of a new banking architecture that could be at the heart of a European package to protect Europe-Iran economic ties and help sustain the deal in spite of U.S. sanctions.

7 June 2018 | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Axel Hellman

 

 

Safeguarding the Iran Nuclear Deal: A Blueprint for Europe

As the future of the Iran nuclear deal looks increasingly uncertain, ELN Policy Fellow Axel Hellman argues that European policymakers should leverage the value of the transatlantic partnership to influence US decision-making and demonstrate Europe’s commitment to the deal while laying the technical and political groundwork to challenge the snapback of US sanctions.

6 April 2018 | Axel Hellman

 

The US, Europe and the Iran nuclear deal: is there a sweet spot?

Will President Trump torpedo the JCPOA or can European negotiators find a way through? Sir Simon Gass sets out a possible diplomatic sweet spot for the current US-Europe negotiations that might meet US concerns, yet keep Iran and the other parties to the deal on board.

9 March 2018 | Simon Gass

 

Senior ELN delegation in Washington D.C. to discuss Iran nuclear deal

In early January 2018, the ELN took a senior non-governmental European delegation to Washington D.C. at a crucial moment in US decision-making over the JCPOA. It has produced a report of the visit which sets out the delegation’s main arguments and reflects on the results.

22 January 2018 | Adam Thomson and Denitsa Raynova