G7 leaders say Israel has right to self-defence, Iran can't have nukes: Sources
As the Israel-Iran conflict escalates, the G7 leaders have called for de-escalation of tensions between the long-time regional foes, asserting that Tel Aviv has the right to defend itself while Tehran can't have nuclear weapons, sources said, citing a draft statement.The draft statement assumes significance as G7 leaders from the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US, along with the European Union, will meet in the Canadian resort of Kananaskis on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is en route to Canada from Cyprus, will also attend the summit, where issues like the Israel-Iran conflict, Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine war could be discussed.advertisementAccording to the G7 draft statement, leaders have called on Israel and Iran to de-escalate tensions and avoid compromising regional stability, sources said. G7 leaders will also work to safeguard market stability, including the energy market, the draft statement said.
With an escalating Israel-Iran conflict that is spiking global oil prices, the G7 summit in Canada is seen as a vital moment to try and restore a semblance of unity between democratic powerhouses.Early on Monday, Iranian missiles struck major Israeli cities as fighting continued for the fourth day and civilian casualties mounted on both sides. In response, Israel struck a military base in western Tehran, causing the air defence system to activate, Iran's Fars news agency reported.Israeli jets targeted the headquarters of state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Monday.advertisementBefore the strike, an Israeli military spokesperson issued an evacuation warning for a designated area in Tehran, according to a post by the spokesperson on X.Israel, which said its military campaign would escalate in the coming days, began bombing Iran under Operation Rising Lion on June 13, saying Tehran was on the verge of building a nuclear bomb and targeting the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.Amid the conflict, Iran said its Parliament was preparing a bill to leave the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), adding that Tehran remained opposed to developing weapons of mass destruction.Iran has always said its nuclear programme is peaceful, although the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, declared last week that Tehran was in violation of its NPT obligations.Israel is presumed to have a sizable nuclear arsenal, but neither confirms nor denies it. It is the only Middle Eastern state that has not signed the NPT.Meanwhile, Iran has signalled it was seeking an end to hostilities and a resumption of talks over its nuclear programme, sending messages to Israel and the US via Arab intermediaries, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing officials.(with inputs from Reuters)Must Watch
IN THIS STORY#Israel#Iran#Middle East
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