EU Urges Maximum Restraint as Iran Crisis Worsens

(MENAFN) Top European Union leaders declared Saturday that unfolding developments in Iran were "greatly concerning," as the bloc scrambled to coordinate a unified diplomatic response and began pulling non-essential personnel from the Middle East.

In a rare joint statement, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signaled that Brussels was keeping its channels open across the region. "We remain in close contact with our partners in the region," the two leaders said, issuing a direct appeal to all warring parties: "We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law."

The pair also raised alarms over the integrity of nuclear infrastructure, stressing the urgent need to guarantee nuclear safety and warning against any moves that could further inflame tensions or erode the global non-proliferation framework — a pointed reference to fears surrounding Iran's atomic facilities amid active strikes.

The concerns were amplified by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who took to X to characterize the rapidly deteriorating situation across the Middle East as "perilous." In a significant operational move, Kallas confirmed that non-essential EU staff were being evacuated from the region as a precautionary measure.

Kallas disclosed that she had held direct talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and other regional ministers, and that the bloc was actively coordinating with Arab partners to identify viable diplomatic off-ramps before the crisis deepens further.

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