Europe Today: Trump-Iran standoff tests the limits of diplomacy

Name: Europe Today: Trump-Iran standoff tests the limits of diplomacy
Uploaded: 2026-07-17T06:50:55+00:00
Duration: 19 min 46 s
Channel: euronews (in English)

00:14Good morning, it's Friday, the 17th of July, you're watching Euronews and this is Europe Today.

00:22Welcome to the program, I'm Stefan Grube.

00:24Coming up, the United States and Iran are locked in an escalating cycle of attacks this morning

00:31after the sixth consecutive day of U.S. strikes and Iranian retaliation against Gulf nations and

00:37Jordan. Both sides have declared that the memorandum of understanding they signed in June

00:42to extend the ceasefire is no longer in force. Meanwhile, Pakistan, the principal mediator between

00:48Washington and Tehran, urge both sides to end the latest wave of violent attacks and hold talks.

00:55EU foreign policy chief Kaya Callas is on a two-day trip to the Horn of Africa,

01:01a rare visit by a top European official to countries critical for regional security.

01:06In Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, the high representative met with the country's prime

01:11minister. In Djibouti, Callas visited ongoing EU naval operations as PDs and Atalanta and signed a

01:19bilateral status of forces agreement. We'll have a report from our special correspondent.

01:25The Court of Justice of the EU in Luxembourg has given broad backing to Spain's amnesty law,

01:31saying it breaches neither EU nor anti-terror rules. A decision that could have an impact on the case

01:38of Carles Puigdemont, who is still waiting for a ruling by the Spanish Supreme Court.

01:43The former Catalan secessionist leader is still living in self-imposed exile in Belgium

01:48to avoid arrest on pending embezzlement charges related to the illegal 2017 Catalan independence

01:55referendum. And we're just two days away from the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina,

02:01a historic first. We'll test the vibes in Madrid, and I'll have a football chat with EU Sport

02:07Commissioner Glenn Mikalif here in the studio. But first, the Middle East. The prospect of peace in

02:15the Persian Gulf has taken serious hits this week. In public statements, Washington and Tehran have

02:20suggested that they're in no rush to compromise. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed in

02:27recent days that Iran is desperate to cut a peace deal with Washington, but he does not trust Tehran

02:33to stick to an agreement. Iranian officials, on the other hand, have maintained a defiant tone.

02:39The country's lead negotiator said that Iran was in an existential war with America and had no reason

02:46to continue adhering to the peace agreement. To get to the bottom of this, let's head over to Doha

02:52to our correspondent, Adel Halim. Good morning, Adel. Adel, we've seen another dramatic night

02:58across the Gulf. Where does this leave the chances of diplomacy?

03:04Good morning, Stefan. It's been another sleepless night here in Doha. People across Qatar were woken

03:10twice by emergency alerts, starting at 3.30 this morning. We heard loud explosions and air defense

03:16systems intercepted two waves of Iranian missiles. Authorities say a child was injured by falling

03:22debris. Bahrain also activated its air raid sirens again. Jordan says it intercepted three

03:28missiles. And Iran is also now claiming it targeted U.S. assets in Syria. So diplomacy hasn't

03:34disappeared. Publicly, both Washington and Tehran still say a deal is possible. But events overnight

03:40show the fighting is moving much faster than the diplomacy. The rhetoric is hardening as well.

03:46Iran is warning that if U.S. expands its attacks to civilian infrastructure, it will return

03:52the favor in kind and target civilian infrastructure across the region. So the immediate concern is no

03:59longer just what's happening in Iran. It's whether this conflict continues to spill across the Gulf.

04:04Stefan? Well, Qatar has been one of the key mediators throughout this conflict. Does this change its

04:11role? Well, it certainly makes mediation much more complicated. As you mentioned, Qatar has been one

04:18of the main channels of communication between Washington and Tehran, as well as Oman during

04:24this conflict. But today, it's also a country that's come under attack. Despite that, officials

04:29here are making it clear they still want diplomacy to prevail. And the security threat has been declared

04:34over. But the message from Doha is that the dialogue remains the only way to stop this conflict

04:39from spreading. The challenge now is that Gulf states are no longer just trying to mediate.

04:45They're also trying to protect their populations and critical infrastructure while trying to prevent

04:50a much wider regional war. All right. Adil Halim in Doha, thank you for this assessment.

04:58From the Persian Gulf now, 2,300 kilometers south to the Horn of Africa. This is the region that

05:05Kayakalas just visited. The EU's foreign policy chief signed the EU Djibouti Status of Forces

05:11Agreement for Operation ASPIDIS, the European Union's naval security mission in the Red Sea,

05:17Gulf of Aden and nearby waters, launched in 2024 to protect commercial shipping from attacks by

05:24Yemen's Houthi movement. Our correspondent Toby Gregory was with Kayakalas and sent this report.

05:31The narrow stretch of water behind me is one of the world's most important trade routes and Iran

05:37and its allies are now threatening to shut it down. The Houthis in Yemen backed by Tehran are reported

05:43to be preparing to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which is just behind me here. It's a move that

05:49would

05:49send shockwaves through the global economy. It's widely seen as Iran flexing its power across the region,

05:55a second front alongside its pressure on the Strait of Hormuz.

05:59The European mission down beneath this is simple. It's just to change that to protect the ships

06:04that come through to keep this corridor open. Seeing this from the air, you understand the scale

06:10of watts at stake. What looks like a thin strip of water is actually one of the most important things

06:17to the European economy right now.

06:19That is why the EU's foreign policy chief, Kayakalas, is here in Djibouti. Today she signed a new

06:25security agreement with the Djiboutian government to ramp up Europe's presence and visited both the EU's

06:31naval missions patrolling these waters, warning that recent Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia

06:37are a sign that instability on land becomes insecurity at sea.

06:41It's about more than supporting European operations. It's about keeping one of the world's

06:47economic lifelines open together.

06:51A speed ease defends shipping in the Red Sea and in just over two years it's said it's protected more

06:56than 670 merchant ships and saved 128 seafarers. Atalanta, running since 2008, guards against piracy off of

07:06Somalia. If this strait were to be choked off too, with Iran already disrupting Hormuz, the cost would reach

07:13European homes and businesses. For now, Europe is moving to keep this open.

07:21Toby Gregory there reporting from the Horn of Africa. The European Commission is today naming and shaming and

07:29praising governments across Europe in its annual rule of law report. A snapshot of the state of democracy,

07:36courts and the media freedom across the bloc. The report also issues recommendations accordingly.

07:43Thankfully, our EU correspondent Angela Skudjins is with me now to tell us all about it. Good morning,

07:48Angela. So, fill us in. What can we expect?

07:52Good morning, Stefan. So, this is essentially the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to the 27

07:58EU

07:58member states separately, the bloc more broadly and a smattering of EU accession countries when it comes

08:04to rule of law. Now, when I say rule of law, I'm talking about the democratic systems that are put

08:10in place to prop up a functioning society. For example, a politician is accused of corruption.

08:16We should trust that the policing is fair, the justice system is fair and that the journalists

08:22reporting on this can do their jobs free from pressure. Now, the European Commissioner for Justice,

08:28Michael McGrath will hand down these reports sometime today. We're not exactly sure about

08:34the details in the 2026 iteration. However, he did provide Euronews an exclusive statement which we can

08:41put up on the screen here in which he stated, this report reflects the important progress and initiatives

08:47of the past year while also highlighting the work that lies ahead. Its purpose is not simply to identify

08:55where problems exist, but to help build a stronger culture of respect for the rule of law across Europe.

09:04But when we're talking about who's going to fail, we can certainly imagine countries perhaps such as

09:12Hungary. This was highlighted last year in the rule of law report from 2025, which highlighted threats to

09:19media pluralism, no progress on corruption prosecutions and a lack of transparency in the lower courts.

09:26However, I did speak to a Green MEP member of the European Parliament, Daniel Freund, a vocal proponent

09:33for transparency across the block. He highlighted that Slovakia could potentially be a rule of law laggard too.

09:41So far, the worst performing was Hungary, but the Hungarian voters have solved some of this and

09:48we're really looking forward to more positive reforms there now. I would say my biggest worry

09:53case at the moment is Slovakia, where we had the dismantling of the special prosecutor for corruption.

09:59The National Crime Agency was dismantled, legal changes that allow already convicted corrupt

10:06people to walk free or their investigations being stopped. All these are not good signs, but a number of

10:13member states where the developments are not positive. So Stefan, as you just heard, Hungary and Slovakia,

10:19certainly countries to keep an eye on, but a various variety of others to keep a look out to.

10:26All right, Angela Skudzins there as ever. Thank you so much for your reporting.

10:30And now the World Cup, two days before the final.

10:39For one nation, it's a chance to reclaim football's greatest prize after 16 years.

10:45For the other, it's an opportunity to prove that a golden generation can become a dynasty.

10:51On one side stands Spain, chasing a second World Cup to confirm its return to the summit of world football.

10:57On the other is Argentina, defending champion, inspired once again by the blue and white

11:03passion that has defined generations. 90 minutes, two proud football cultures, one trophy. History awaits.

11:14What are the vibes in Spain before the encounter? I've asked Euronews editor-in-chief Maria Tadeo,

11:20who happened to be in Madrid, about the emotional experience two days before the summit. Here's what she said.

11:27Well, good morning, Stefan. Hello from Madrid. And as you can imagine, in this city and the whole

11:33of Spain, for that matter, it's all about the World Cup and that final on Sunday. You see the stage

11:38is

11:38already set out for that game against Argentina, a final for the ages. These teams, Argentina or Spain,

11:46were considered a favorite at the start of the competition. Remember, the pundits, and they got it

11:50wrong, very wrong. They all argued the French, the unbeatable French, with an incredible,

11:55powerful attack, would make it all the way to the final. And that was the end of the story.

12:00Instead, the Spanish steamrolled the French and the Argentinians. We saw that in their game against

12:06England right before this final. They will push and push and fight it till the last second. And that is

12:13what makes this final so special, a final for the ages. There's a lot of symbols around it too. We're

12:18getting an all-Spanish speaking final, the first time in almost a hundred years now. And this is

12:24important and it's relevant because this competition is hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.

12:30And at the start of the World Cup, there was a concern that perhaps Spain and Spanish could be swept

12:35aside to appeal or in order to appeal to the North American market, the US, and certainly the President of

12:42the United States, Donald Trump. Instead, we're going to get a final that certainly speaks Spanish.

12:47It's also the first time that Argentina and Spain play at a level, at a game of this magnitude in

12:54a

12:54final World Cup in decades. The last time it was the 60s. And of course, there is also a threat

13:00that

13:01connects both teams. And that is Barcelona. Messi, the star of Argentina, he learned everything at

13:08this club. He became a global international star with Barcelona. And now he will face off

13:14with Lamin Yamal, the new idol of Barcelona. So there's a lot of elements that make this a final

13:21to watch. We certainly will be watching. And look, who am I kidding? I'm biased,

13:26and I certainly hope that Spain will take this cup home.

13:32Maria Tadeo there reporting from Madrid. And now I'd like to do a pre-game analysis with

13:38Brussels' own Mr. Football, the EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture,

13:44and Sport, Glenn Mikalov. Welcome to the program. Good to see you on the set this morning.

13:49So I remember a conversation you and I were having about half a year ago, in which you said that

13:55Spain

13:56would win the World Cup. Are you still standing by your prognosis?

14:01I said it half a year ago. I said it before the World Cup started. And I'll stick to my

14:07guns on this

14:07one. I think the Spanish team has been a strong team. You know, people were writing them off after

14:13they drew in the first match against Cape Verde. But this is what happened in 2010 when they won it.

14:19They lost the opening fixture at the time to Switzerland. They struggled in the first match

14:25this time around with Cape Verde. But I still think they're the strongest team in this tournament.

14:31What about Argentina? Would you have preferred England as a finalist to have two European teams?

14:37I was rooting for England in this match. First of all, I've been watching the English Premier League

14:43as far as I can remember. I think the Englishmen had a pretty good run in this tournament. They were

14:50a strong and formidable team. I mean, amazing players. How good is Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane?

14:57Amazing, yeah. Elliot Anderson, for me, has like broke out on the global stage in this tournament.

15:04Jetspens. Jetspens also had a couple of good games. Now, I was kind of expecting. I wanted the

15:13English to make it. Let's take a look back at this tournament already. Did football unite the world as

15:22FIFA always advertises? Look, away from all the controversy that surrounded this World Cup,

15:29I think it was a pure joy to watch the tournament. So there was a great atmosphere. The football was

15:38simply amazing. And I have this image, which is still stuck in my mind. And I can't help but

15:47reflect on it whenever I get asked this question of what happened during the Argentina-Egypt match.

15:53The images from Gaza and children coming together, despite how hard the situation is, to watch the

16:00game. And this is the beautiful thing about football. For 90 minutes, you can forget about

16:07everything that's going on around you and just focus on it. You mentioned Egypt. I mean,

16:11we've seen strong performances from teams from Africa, from Asia. Has football become

16:18more competitive globally? We've seen teams, South American teams and African teams perform really

16:26well. The Ivory Coast team has been really good. Morocco has been really good. So I think football

16:33has grown in these continents. And now we're seeing much more quality players coming up from these

16:40systems. But the fact remains that the best talent, the best football is still being played in Europe.

16:48And that's something which makes me very proud. I mean, if you look at the last eight teams,

16:54six of them were European teams. And that tells you something. Right. And it's not only EU,

16:58it's also Switzerland and Europe. I'm saying Europe. Was it a smart idea to give the tournament

17:05to three host countries? I think people were concerned about this. At the end, I feel it worked out really

17:12well. So the changes made to the tournament, the fact that it's grown to 48 teams, people were

17:17sceptical about that. I think the format worked. The changes to the rules, people were also sceptical

17:24about them. With the exception of the hydration breaks, which were quite controversial. Commercial

17:30breaks. Yeah. You can call them whatever you like. But the changes, the other changes to the rules

17:35made the game simply more exciting. So faster throw-ins, people wasting time are not allowed.

17:42You know, it made the game more interesting to watch. So we're going to have three hosts again in four

17:49years, Spain, Portugal, Morocco. And they're also considering having 60 countries participate. Do you

17:57support that? Instead of 48 right now? Look, with 48, I think it worked quite well. Taking it to 60,

18:07I'm not sure. I wouldn't write it off immediately. So I think a large tournament made it more exciting,

18:16more fans, more opportunities to watch football. In a tournament like this, I can't get enough of this.

18:23So it's almost bittersweet that it's coming to an end. And I think people were having concerns,

18:29myself included. I was having concerns about safety, security, about the atmosphere, about the fans

18:35being half empty, about the stadiums being half empty. Ultimately, it turned out great. So

18:43congratulations to the hosts, to the organizers, because finally, it was a great tournament.

18:48A very quick one. What are the biggest challenges for global football going forward? Is it political

18:54interference? Is it money? Or is it nothing at all? Had you asked me this before the tournament,

18:59I would have said sustainability, creating a sustainable system where it becomes a lot easier

19:08without excessive commercialization for football to continue to flourish. I think what happened with

19:15the interference during this World Cup? Okay. We don't want to talk about this anymore. Thank you

19:20so much, Commissioner, for being on the show today. That was great. And that's it for today.

19:27Marek Gwynn-Jones will be in this chair next week. I'm Stefan Grobe. Thank you for watching.

19:31Take care and enjoy the game on Sunday. See you soon. See you.

19:35Marek Gwynn-Jones

Europe Today: Trump-Iran standoff tests the limits of diplomacy

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