Australia, South Korea Call on Israel, Iran to Show Restraint

(MENAFN) Australia and South Korea stepped forward on Sunday, calling on Israel and Iran to halt further provocations amid renewed exchanges of attacks, local media revealed.

Penny Wong, Australia’s Foreign Minister, emphasized the need for both nations to avoid exacerbating what she described as a "perilous" situation with far-reaching consequences across the Middle East.

In an interview with a news agency, Wong disclosed that she had directly communicated with Iran’s foreign minister and engaged with Israeli representatives through their ambassador, urging a de-escalation.

"I directly put to the Iranian foreign minister: 'We are saying to you, exercise restraint, return to diplomacy and dialogue,' because continuing to escalate this has consequences for all peoples of the region, and I think that is a position that so many countries in the world are putting to not only the Iranians, but also to the Israelis," Wong stated plainly.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s presidential office echoed the plea for caution, asserting that Seoul opposes any intensification of military conflicts in the area.

"We are opposed to military confrontation or escalation of tensions and have urged restraint by all involved parties," a presidential official declared, as reported by a news agency.

This call for calm comes after Israel launched multiple strikes on Iranian soil since early Friday, focusing on nuclear and missile infrastructure and causing the deaths of high-ranking military personnel and scientists. Iran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles targeting various locations across Israel, fueling a dangerous cycle of retaliation.

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