This paper examines Europe’s reaction to Masoud Pezeshkian’s victory in Iran’s 2024 presidential election, challenging the portrayal of him as a reformist. In reality, Pezeshkian is loyal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), advancing regime interests rather than reform. The paper critiques Europe’s overly optimistic stance, warning against repeating past mistakes, as with Hassan Rouhani, and highlights growing security threats posed by Iran, including destabilization in the Middle East, military support for Russia in Ukraine, and – widely ignored – threats to European security in the Mediterranean. A shift in EU policy toward Iran is proposed to better address these mounting challenges.