European leaders call for de-escalation and diplomacy as Israel and Iran conflict flares up
Europe urged de-escalation and diplomacy as the continent woke up to news of Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and officials and Iran's drone counterstrike on Israel. In their reactions, European leaders sought to navigate the complexities of their partnership with Israel, growing frustration with Israel's actions against Gaza, the threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon and the risk of a full-blown war in West Asia in reacting to the news.
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The European Union urged parties to de-escalate, refrain from retaliation and 'exercise maximum restraint'. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the incidents 'deeply alarming' and called for a diplomatic resolution.
'The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. Escalation serves no one in the region,' U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an early morning tweet on social media site X, as he called for diplomacy, and restraint.
Mr. Starmer said the U.K. was engaging its partners with a view to de-escalation. Germany was engaging with allies, especially the U.S., U.K. and France, according to its Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed him in the morning of the attacks on Iran, Mr. Merz said.
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The Chancellor said that Iran had threatened to accelerate uranium enrichment to a grade that violated the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, reiterating a message that Germany, the U.S., U.K. and France had sent the Board of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) in a resolution on Thursday.
'The goal must continue to be that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons,' Mr. Merz said on social media site X. The authorities in Germany would enhance the protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, he added.
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Germany re-affirmed Israel's right to 'defend its existence' and the safety of its citizens, Mr. Merz said. Germany has a unique relationship with Israel, which 'stems from Germany's responsibility for the Shoah [Holocaust] ,' as per the German Foreign Ministry. In recent weeks, Mr. Merz had, however, criticised Israel's action in Gaza saying the extent of its military offensive could no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas.
The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte, said it was crucial for allies, including the U.S., to effect a de-escalation.
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Last year, Israel also inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, severely weakening the group and contributing to the downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, another key Iranian ally. And during a brief round of fighting with Iran last year, Israel knocked out much of its enemies' air-defence Iran's "Axis of Resistance" in tatters and Iran unable to defend itself against Israel's air force, there was little to deter Israel from taking action this provided the final piece of the puzzle. After surprising Israel earlier this year with his resumption of nuclear talks with Iran, Trump grew frustrated with the lack of progress in those about the Israeli plans, the US president appears to have put up little resistance, creating a rare window of opportunity for is too early to Israeli operation appears to have gotten off to a smooth start -- with Israel striking dozens of targets and killing senior Iranian military figures. 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