Sondland Urges Europe to Back US Against Iran, Citing 2 Shared Security Goals

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 20

Gordon Sondland argued Europe should show no public split with Washington over Iran, saying the alliance must unite behind two aims: no Iranian nuclear weapon and no proxy network operating with impunity.
European complaints about consultation after Trump chose military action miss the point, he wrote, because European governments have long tracked Iran’s enrichment, missile program, terrorism financing and attacks on shipping.
He said Europe’s support need not start with combat but with practical help — opening allied bases, expanding intelligence and missile-defense cooperation, and deploying naval assets to protect Strait of Hormuz trade.
Spain was singled out as a country that should face political consequences if it blocks allied operations, with Sondland framing that as a test of NATO-style burden-sharing rather than just defense spending.
The broader warning was that public hesitation and ritual calls for restraint signal division to Tehran, while a visibly united US-Europe front would strengthen deterrence and protect European economic and security interests.