In London, diplomatic efforts across Europe intensified to mitigate the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, which had been marked by a series of strikes in the aftermath of a United States operation on Iran’s nuclear program. This escalation included a retaliatory missile strike from Iran on a U.S. base in Qatar earlier this week.
Despite international calls for Tehran to initiate dialogue with Washington, Iran continued seeking support from its ally, Russia. The crisis emerged as the focal point during a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, reflecting deep concerns about the conflict potentially expanding and its implications on global stability.
Iran’s missile attack on the U.S. military base in Qatar prompted strong condemnation from Qatar, who reported their success in intercepting the missiles aimed at Al Udeid Air Base. Prior to this attack, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed significant concern over potential escalations and emphasized the catastrophic implications of any attempt by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz.
The E3 countries—Britain, France, and Germany—are actively pushing for a diplomatic strategy. A recent seven-hour meeting in Geneva between Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and the E3 nations ended with an agreement to reconvene, albeit without specifics. This comes amid U.S.-led strikes on Iranian targets.
Currently, no further talks between the EU’s E3 and Iran have been scheduled, a diplomatic source mentioned under anonymity. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged Iran to resume dialogues with the E3 and reconsider talks with the United States. Scheduled discussions in Oman between the U.S. and Iran were aborted after Israeli aggression towards Iran’s facilities.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul highlighted Europe’s role in negotiations, warranting Iran’s willingness to negotiate with the United States directly for a resolution. Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, suggested holding U.S.-Iran talks in Rome.
In pursuit of support, Iran reached out to Moscow. Iran’s Foreign Minister met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who criticized the U.S. aggression and pledged to assist Iran. Putin described the diplomatic engagement as a moment to explore solutions to the current predicament and offered Russian mediation.
European diplomatic tasks were hindered by the lack of prior communication from the Trump administration regarding military actions. Several EU states only learned of the U.S. strikes at the last minute; Britain was informed shortly before the strikes occurred.
Further muddying diplomatic waters were President Trump’s social media comments suggesting “regime change” in Iran, despite official denials from U.S. leaders about intentions to alter Iran’s government. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stressed the rejection of forced regime changes.
Although Iran holds its nuclear program serves peaceful intentions, there are concerns over its capacity to construct a bomb, a fear shared by U.S. and Israeli leaders who view Iran’s progress as a budding threat.
European reactions to the U.S. strikes varied. While the threat of broader conflict raised alarms, some allies felt relief over the setback in Iran’s nuclear advancements. British officials underscored the importance of diplomacy as a means to prevent nuclear development.
In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz refrained from criticizing recent military actions by Israel and the U.S., emphasizing that previous inaction was untenable. He expressed cautious optimism, noting that so far, Iran’s reaction has been measured.
Nevertheless, Merz indicated that the current situation could change quickly, marking a precarious moment for international relations.