US President Biden meets with European leaders to discuss the threat of retaliatory Iranian strikes
U.S. President Joe Biden held discussions on Monday with several European heads of state and government about the extremely tense situation in the Middle East and the threat of an Iranian retaliatory strike. The U.S. President spoke with leaders from Germany, the UK, and Italy, as well as the French President, according to John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, in Washington.
"We must be prepared for a significant series of attacks," said Kirby. The U.S. shares assessments from the Israeli side that this could happen this week. The conflict in the Middle East has escalated significantly after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on July 31. The radical Islamic Palestinian organization and Iran blame Israel for the assassination and have vowed revenge.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the acceleration of the deployment of an aircraft carrier group to the region on Sunday. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) spoke with Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian on Monday and expressed "his deep concern about the danger of a regional conflagration." He called on the Iranian leadership to prevent further military escalation.
In the evening, the state news agency Irna in Tehran published a statement from Peseschkian following his phone call with the Chancellor. The President referred to the right of Iran to respond to "aggressors in accordance with international rules," according to the statement. The whole world expects Europeans, and especially Germany, to work towards ending "genocide" in the Gaza Strip instead of continuing to support Israel.
- During their discussions, President Biden urged his European counterparts to apply pressure on Iran to deescalate the situation, as the President of the United States does not want an escalation of violence.
- Amidst this tense situation, German Chancellor Scholz spoke with the President of Iran, emphasizing the need for Iran to exercise restraint, as the President of the United States seeks to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.
