The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, said the 27 EU countries were calling on those involved in the Iran conflict to exercise restraint and respect international law, Reuters reported.
In a statement issued on behalf of all member states, Kallas said the EU called for restraint, protection of civilians and respect for international law, including the UN Charter.
The statement came after an emergency video conference of EU foreign ministers on the 1st of March. It was called after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, which Tehran responded to by launching missiles at Israel, U.S. forces and other Gulf states. The EU statement said Iran’s attacks and threats to the sovereignty of several countries were unjustifiable, and Iran must be deterred from unwarranted strikes.
In response to the potential disruption of oil and other supply chains, the EU said the conflict must not escalate into a crisis that would threaten the Middle East, Europe and other countries with unpredictable consequences, including economic ones.
The bloc said the conflict must not disrupt critical waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement is a compromise that reflects the different perspectives within the EU, which represents around 450 million Europeans. Opinions on the strikes by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu differed, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying it was not the time to lecture allies, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the US and Israeli actions on the 28th of February.
While the conflict in the Middle East could have a major impact on the continent, EU diplomats have little say in what happens. One Western European official said he feared there was little room for action, at least not in the short term, and that Europeans could only watch, as they had no leverage over Trump.
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