European counterparts will not pressure President-elect Joe Biden for an early US return to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Officials in France, Germany, and the UK have told the publication that their countries remain supportive of the deal but do not think it will be possible or even desirable to achieve a full return to the deal before Iran's presidential elections in June. They think it's best to wait and see how things unfold.

European diplomats reportedly believe Iran will elect a president of a tougher line than the relatively moderate current president, Hassan Rouhani. If Biden successfully pulls the US back into the deal while Rouhani remains in power, it could lead to his successor quickly revoking it, making it much more difficult to reach a broader deal that would induce Iran to abandon its expanded nuclear activities.

It appears that Europe really wants the Biden administration to ease tensions and sanctions, and has offered Tehran tangible economic benefits ahead of the elections, theoretically creating an incentive to negotiate with the next government.