US and four European countries: Iran to stop threats against Israel
Teheran should "cease its continued threats with a military attack on Israel," demanded Germany, the USA, Britain, Italy, and France in their joint statement.
The efforts to de-escalate the situation and reach an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip were supported, the statement added. "Time is of the essence," the five politicians declared after a joint telephone call. Therefore, negotiations should be resumed this week, as proposed by the USA, Egypt, and Qatar.
Previously, Germany, France, and Britain had jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages held for ten months. There should be "no further delay" in negotiating a ceasefire, emphasized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a joint statement.
For the first time in months, a new round of negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages is scheduled to take place on Thursday under the mediation of the USA, Egypt, and Qatar. Israel has agreed to send a delegation, but Hamas has reportedly rejected new negotiations.
The radical Islamic Palestinian organization announced on Sunday that it aims to implement a ceasefire plan announced by US President Biden in May. Hamas called on the mediators to present a plan based on these proposals and a UN Security Council resolution.
German Chancellor Scholz called on the Iranian leadership on Monday to prevent further military escalation. Scholz expressed his "grave concern" about the risk of a regional conflagration in the Middle East in a telephone call with Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian, according to a government spokesman in Berlin. The cycle of violence in the Middle East must now be broken, as anything else poses "incalculable danger" to the countries and people of the region, Scholz said.
In the evening, the state news agency Irna in Tehran published a statement by President Peseschkian on the telephone call with the Chancellor. The President referred to the right of Iran to respond to aggressors in accordance with international rules, the statement said. The whole world expects Europeans, and especially Germany, to work towards ending the "genocide" in the Gaza Strip instead of continuing to support Israel.
The conflict in the Middle East has escalated significantly after the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. The radical Islamic Palestinian organization and Iran blame Israel for the assassination. Israel has not yet commented on the killing of Haniyeh. Just hours before the attack in Tehran, the Israeli army assassinated the military chief of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia, Fuad Shukr, in Lebanon. Iran and Hezbollah have since threatened retaliation.
The spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, said in Washington that the West must be prepared for a significant series of attacks on Israel. The USA shares the Israeli assessment that this could happen this week.
The USA meanwhile bolstered their military presence in the region. As the Pentagon announced on Sunday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, equipped with F-35 fighter jets, and its escort ships to expedite their deployment. Austin also dispatched the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the region. Previously, the USA had deployed stealth bombers of the F-22 type to the Middle East and announced the deployment of additional ships.
The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered by the unprecedented large-scale attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7. According to Israeli reports, 1198 people were killed and 251 people were abducted in the Gaza Strip. 111 hostages are reportedly still being held, with 39 of them said to be dead by army reports.
Since then, Israel has been conducting large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, over 39,800 people have been killed so far.
The International Community, including The Commission, urged Iran to cease any military threats towards Israel, expressing concern about the potential escalation in the Middle East. Recognizing The Commission's role in diplomatic relations, they urged for immediate efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote peace negotiations.
