Latest news with #EUForeignMinisters
CTV News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Europe scrambles to revive diplomacy after the U.S. strikes Iran's nuclear sites
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, center, speaks with from left, Malta's Foreign Minister Ian Borg, Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Slovakia's Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar and Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) LONDON — European nations worked to keep diplomatic efforts to curb the Israel-Iran war alive as the two countries traded strikes following the United States' weekend attack on Iran's nuclear program, followed by a retaliatory Iranian missile strike Monday on a U.S. base in Qatar. Calls for Tehran to enter talks with Washington appeared to fall on deaf ears as it reached out to ally Russia for support instead. The crisis topped the agenda for European Union foreign ministers meeting Monday in Brussels, where diplomats agonized about the potential for Iranian retaliation to spark a wider war and global economic instability. Iran launched missile attacks Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar. Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base, and said it successfully intercepted the short and medium-range ballistic missiles. Before that attack, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said 'the concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge.' Kallas said any attempt by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global shipping, would be 'extremely dangerous and not good for anybody.' Europe seeks more talks Along with the EU, the 'E3' of Britain, France and Germany have led efforts to find a diplomatic solution, holding a tense seven-hour meeting in Geneva on Friday with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A day after those talks ended with a vague promise to 'meet again in the future,' U.S. bombers struck three Iranian nuclear and military sites. No further E3 talks with Iran are currently planned, a European diplomatic official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations. Still, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged Iran to meet the E3 again, and to open negotiations with the United States. Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Oman were scuttled after Israel began attacking Iran's nuclear facilities on June 13. Iran has since ruled out negotiating while it is under attack. 'Take the off-ramp, dial this thing down and negotiate with the United States immediately and seriously,' said Lammy, who spoke to both Araghchi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Europe had a role to play, but that 'a real precondition for a settlement to the conflict is that Iran be ready to negotiate directly with the U.S.' Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters in Brussels that he was proposing a meeting between the United States and Iran in Rome. Iran's envoy visits Russia It was Moscow that Iran reached out to Monday, though, sending Araghchi to meet President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. Putin condemned the United States' 'unprovoked aggression' against Iran and said Russia would help the Iranian people. Putin said he saw the visit as a chance to explore 'how we can get out of today's situation.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had offered to mediate. European diplomatic efforts were complicated by a lack of foreknowledge of the Trump administration's moves. Some countries had no advance notice of the strikes. Britain was notified, but only shortly before bombs fell. Another hurdle was Trump's post on social media late Sunday musing about the potential for 'regime change' in Iran, despite U.S. officials' insistence that Washington is not seeking to change the government in Tehran. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stressed Monday that 'we reject all attempts to organize a change of regime by force.' 'It would be illusory and dangerous to think that such a change can be provoked through force and bombs,' he said. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, and U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued that Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. Mixed emotions among U.S. allies The U.S. strikes have brought mixed emotions in European capitals. Amid alarm at the potential for a wider war and calls for de-escalation, some American allies expressed relief that Iran's nuclear program had been set back. 'We can't pretend that the prevention of Iran getting nuclear weapons isn't a good thing for this country. But we're prioritizing diplomacy as the way forward,' said Tom Wells, a spokesman for British leader Starmer. 'The prime minister's priority is getting parties back around the table to negotiate a lasting settlement.' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose country is a particularly staunch ally of Israel, said he saw 'no reason to criticize what Israel began a week ago, and also no reason to criticize what America did last weekend.' He acknowledged 'it is not without risk, but leaving things the way they were was also not an option.' Merz said he was 'somewhat optimistic' that the conflict would not widen. He said Iran's response so far has been far short 'of what we had to fear,' and that Iran's regional proxies had shown 'relatively little' reaction so far. But he cautioned that 'it doesn't have to stay that way.' By Jill Lawless And Ella Joyner. Joyner reported from Brussels. Associated Press writers Elise Morton in London, Lorne Cook and Sam McNeil in Brussels, John Leicester in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed.
Russia Today
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU state calls for sanctions on Israelis
Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, has said Spain will call on EU foreign ministers to 'immediately suspend' the EU‑Israel association agreement and seek a ban on arms sales to Israel, citing concerns of human rights violations in Gaza. The trade relationship between the 27‑member bloc and Israel, worth €68 billion ($73 billion), is set up under an agreement signed in 1995. The EU is Israel's largest commercial partner, accounting for roughly one-third of its international trade. Speaking to reporters ahead of the EU foreign ministers' meeting with in Brussels on Monday, Albares called for the immediate suspension of the agreement, saying 'this is the time for action' and that continued violations of human rights in Gaza demanded a firm European response. 'If the Association Agreement is based on human rights, it's the most normal thing that we suspend the Association Agreement immediately today,' he stated. The minister said he would formally request the suspension of the deal, 'an embargo on selling weapons to Israel, and the list of people that are being sanctioned to everyone who wants to be a spoiler of the two-state solution.' Spain's demands reflect broader unease across Europe. The UK, France, and the Netherlands have also considered slapping trade and arms restrictions on Israel in recent months. In May, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said there was 'a strong majority' among member states in favor of reviewing the agreement. The pivot from one of the Jewish state's staunchest supporters comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and growing frustration in Brussels over Israel's actions. According to a leaked document from the EU foreign policy service seen by The Guardian ahead of the Monday meeting, Brussels has found 'indications' that Israel is breaching its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel association agreement. The internal paper, prepared for EU foreign ministers, references assessments from the International Court of Justice, the UN human rights office, and other UN bodies. It notes that the findings do not represent 'a value judgment' by EU officials. The review was reportedly requested last month by 17 member states led by the Netherlands amid mounting concern over Israel's actions in Gaza. EU officials were asked to assess whether Israel's conduct aligns with 'respect for human rights and democratic principles.' The move followed Israel's blockade and military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that left 1,200 people dead and resulted in the abduction of over 200 hostages. Since then, more than 55,600 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza, according to the enclave's health ministry. Israel has also faced longstanding accusations of war crimes for obstructing humanitarian aid, including a total blockade imposed after the October attacks and ongoing restrictions on food, fuel, and medicine entering the enclave.
LBCI
16-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
EU foreign ministers to meet Tuesday on Israel-Iran conflict
EU foreign ministers will meet Tuesday for an emergency meeting on the Iran-Israel conflict, and "possible next steps" to bring about de-escalation, an official for the bloc's foreign policy chief said. "In light of the gravity of the situation in the Middle East, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has convened a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers via video link for Tuesday," said the official in her office on Sunday. AFP
Arab News
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
EU foreign ministers to discuss Israel-Iran conflict on Tuesday
BRUSSELS: EU foreign ministers will meet by video link on Tuesday to discuss the Iran-Israel conflict and 'possible next steps' aimed at bringing about a de-escalation, an official for the bloc's foreign policy chief said. 'In light of the gravity of the situation in the Middle East, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has convened a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers via video link for Tuesday,' said the official in her office on Sunday. The emergency call was organized as Iran and Israel broadened exchanges of missile and drone strikes against each other. The conflict, triggered on Friday by a surprise Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets, has led to a mounting death toll on both sides. The EU ministers' meeting 'will provide an opportunity for an exchange of views, coordination on diplomatic outreach to Tel Aviv and Tehran, and possible next steps,' the official in Kallas's office said. The official underlined that the European Union was committed to 'regional security and de-escalation' and would expend 'all diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and to find a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear issue which can only be through a negotiated deal.'
Al Arabiya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
EU lifts economic sanctions on Syria
The European Union lifted economic sanctions on Syria on Wednesday in an effort to support the country's transition and recovery after the toppling of former president Bashar al-Assad. The move follows a political agreement reached last week by EU foreign ministers to lift the sanctions. The EU will keep sanctions related to al-Assad's government and restrictions based on security grounds, while also introducing new sanctions against individuals and entities connected to a wave of violence in March, the Council said. 'The Council will continue monitoring developments on the ground and stands ready to introduce further restrictive measures against human rights violators and those fueling instability in Syria,' it added.
