This week has proved a mixed bag of sorts for Iran and the West. First came French accusations that Tehran’s deep state was behind a planned terror attack on a rally held by the exiled Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) in Paris back in June. Thus far, intelligence assets as well as those of two Iranian officials have been frozen. Iran has dismissed the claims as part of a conspiracy engineered by those seeking to damage its longstanding ties to both France and Europe, more broadly. In truth, there may be some weight to this. It is highly unlikely that the country would risk European support for the nuclear deal; from which the US unilaterally withdrew back in May. That being said, there is the question of the changing American relationship with the MEK. From 1997-2012 it was listed as a terrorist organisation. Among other things, the group was found guilty of killing six Americans in Iran during the 1970s. Yet rumours have long suggested that the MEK’s unwavering opposition to those at the helm in Tehran have earned it powerful western allies. Fast-forward to the Paris rally and Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani took to the stage to call for regime change in Iran. Then, as far as most western capitals go, the French charge-sheet against the Islamic Republic was suddenly overshadowed by a win for the latter. For on the same day, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) directed the US to lift re-imposed sanctions on humanitarian aid and civil aviation. In July, Tehran had taken this issue all the way to the world court. Arguing that the punitive measures were in violation of the bilateral Treaty of Amity signed in 1955. Trump Town reacted by vowing to withdraw from the accord as well as the “optional protocol” under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961). Though National Security Adviser John Bolton termed the move less to do with Iran more to do with “the continued consistent policy of the United States to reject the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, which we think is politicised and ineffective”. Well, then. What therefore becomes clear is the prevailing dichotomy on Iran. Paris opted for a measured response; in as much as President Rouhani’s name has thus far been kept out of the controversy. This suggests that the Macron government is adopting a pragmatic approach to multilateralism that aims to put global security before all else in the form of keeping the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) alive. Indeed, French companies are making a slow but gradual return to Iran. By contrast, the Americans have regrettably once more underscored their rejection of multilateralism and international institutions. This is to say nothing of undermining the rule of law. Thus Tehran and the Europeans have won this round. * Published in Daily Times, October 6th 2018.