European nations will seek on Friday to find ways to guide the United States and Iran away from confrontation knowing that a miscalculation from either side could leave the bloc facing a war and a serious nuclear proliferation crisis at its doorstep.

EU foreign ministers, in a rare emergency meeting, may avoid any tough diplomatic response for now.

Washington and Tehran backed off from intensified conflict following the U.S. killing of an Iranian general, and Tehran’s retaliatory missile strikes avoided military casualties.

“Iran’s desire to prevent the crisis from escalating has bought us some time, it has the effect of cooling this down just a little,” a senior EU diplomat said.

But the simmering tensions have highlighted Europe’s struggles to influence either side and play a mediating role with powerhouses Britain, France and Germany desperately trying to pressure Iran to stick to a 2015 nuclear pact and pullback from further escalation.

They also want to convince U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday called on them to join him in withdrawing from the nuclear agreement, that they are tough-minded allies who will not be deceived by Tehran.

With Baghdad also caught between the crossfire of Washington and Tehran, there are growing concerns that the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants could be weakened, or even forced out of Iraq, something that the European powers see as crucial to prevent for their own security interests.

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