Berlin — As European Union governments scramble to save the Iran nuclear accord from US efforts to scuttle it, the mood in diplomatic circles has blackened. Then suddenly, US secretary of state Michael Pompeo lands in Brussels with little warning. The top US diplomat parachuted in as 28 European Union foreign ministers gathered to discuss Iran. After a cool initial reception to the unscheduled drop-in, Pompeo began meetings with European counterparts to address Iran’s “threatening actions and statements”. “I made clear once again that we are worried in view of the developments and the tensions in the region,” German foreign minister Heiko Maas said. “We don’t want a military escalation.” The hard-line approach adopted by President Donald Trump has left European allies irritated at the lack of strategy and powerless to sway a US administration that’s failed to provide answers on where it all leads, according to diplomats in Berlin, Paris and London. On their minds is the risk of a re...
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