Once again, hostage taking works.  Not the traditional taking of a person’s body, or not the holding of a ship or other property, but Iran’s holding the snap inspections hostage.  So France, Germany, and the UK decided to not push a resolution opposing Iran’s snap decision in exchange for Iran agreeing to sit down with the IAEA and discuss uranium particles found at several sites—something Iran was obligated to do anyway.  “Iran to meet with United Nations technical experts over uranium find,” AP, March 4, 2021.

“Biden Can’t Bring Peace to Yemen While Iran Keeps Sending Weapons,” Bradley Bowman and Katherine Zimmerman, Foreign Policy, March 4, 2021.

To make room for diplomacy they say, and not outside the norm of what countries do.  While some would prefer to keep all pressure on, to find the right incentive for Iran to do the same is not outside reason in international relations.  What will Iran do in response?  Diplomacy or violence?  “Western powers scrap plan for IAEA rebuke of Iran to make space for talks,” Francois Murphy and John Irish, Reuters, March 4, 2021.

“GCC chief urges Iran to halt supporting militias,” Arab News, March 4, 2021.