John Bolton Urges Europe to Join War on Iran, Linking Tehran Threats to Ukraine Conflict

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In an opinion piece published by The Telegraph on Sunday, former U.S. national security advisor John Bolton argued that Europe must actively participate in the ongoing U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, warning that failure to do so could have profound consequences for both European security and the wider global order.

Bolton wrote that Iran’s recent attempt to attack the joint U.K.-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia underscores that Britain is already a target in the conflict.

He highlighted that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and terrorism threats extend to Europe just as they do to Israel and the United States, meaning that Europe cannot remain neutral without exposing itself to direct risk.

The former U.N. ambassador emphasized a “new reality” in which Iran’s ballistic missile range may now threaten much of continental Europe and the U.K. directly.

While the United States remains less exposed due to the absence of intercontinental missile capabilities, Bolton stressed that both North America and Europe are already vulnerable to Tehran’s terrorist operations, which may increase as the regime faces potential existential threats.

Criticizing European leaders for their reluctance to engage, Bolton specifically targeted Kaja Kallas, vice-president of the European Union, who had stated that “this is not Europe’s war” and that EU foreign ministers were unwilling to intervene.

Bolton argued that such positions fail to account for strategic realities, including the intersection of the Iran and Ukraine conflicts.

Bolton outlined how Russia and China view Iran as a strategic ally, with Moscow offering Washington conditional deals to limit intelligence sharing with Ukraine in exchange for reduced support for Iran.

He warned that continued European inaction would allow Tehran to strengthen its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in partnership with Moscow and Beijing, increasing threats to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

The former U.S. official also criticized European reliance on U.S. capabilities, noting that concerns about diverting resources from Ukraine's defense are misplaced.

According to Bolton, the best way to assist Ukraine is not by avoiding the Iran conflict but by supporting Israel and the U.S. in neutralizing Iran’s nuclear and drone threats, including those to the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Bolton warned that U.S. President Donald Trump could use European disengagement as an excuse to reduce American involvement in both conflicts, a scenario that he described as strategically dangerous.

He stressed that failure to confront Iran’s growing capabilities risks empowering both Tehran and its global allies, with serious implications for European and international security.

In conclusion, Bolton called on European leaders, including Keir Starmer, to recognize the broader connections between the Iran and Ukraine conflicts and to act decisively.

He warned that continued passivity could leave Europe vulnerable to direct attacks and allow adversaries to exploit divisions between the United States, Europe, and their allies.