Israel-Iran conflict gets G7 summit off to rocky start
Israel-Iran conflict gets G7 summit off to rocky start
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer stands at attention as Trump arrives at Calgary International Airport for the G7 summit. Photo: AFP
Group of Seven powers have begun negotiating on whether they can find common ground on an escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, as leaders including US President Donald Trump arrived for a summit in the Canadian Rockies.
The three-day gathering in the mountain town of Kananaskis marks the return to the international diplomatic calendar for Trump, who has stunned allies by defying norms and slapping sweeping tariffs on friend and foe alike.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had designed an agenda aimed at minimising disagreements within the club of wealthy industrial democracies – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
But Israel shocked the world two days before the summit with a surprise, massive military campaign against Iran.
Canada is now sounding out countries about making a joint call on Israel and Iran, diplomats said.
The statement could call for de-escalation or could simply back Israel, saying that it has a "right to defend itself" due to Iran's contested nuclear work.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the summit and agreed that Iran was to blame.
"Of course I think a negotiated solution is, in the long term, the best solution," she said, stopping short of calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Trump has praised Israel's strikes, noting it used US weapons, even though Netanyahu defied his public calls to hold off as the US sought a negotiated solution.
Unusually, Japan, which historically has maintained cordial ties with Iran, made a forceful break with allies in the US and Europe when it denounced Israel's strikes as "deeply regrettable".
European powers have all steered clear of criticising Israel on the Iran strikes, despite separate concern about the humanitarian situation in besieged Gaza.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for restraint and urged Iran to re-enter talks with the US, while also blaming Tehran for escalating tensions over its nuclear programme.
Trump is visiting Canada despite his mockery of the northern neighbour, which he has said would be better off as the 51st state.
Tensions have eased since Carney, a former central banker known more for his competence than pizzazz, took over in March from Justin Trudeau, an erstwhile star on the global stage whom Trump made no secret of disliking. (AFP)
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