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Belgium Says Not to Support US-Israel Strikes on Iran
(MENAFN) Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken on Wednesday flatly ruled out any Belgian military participation in US and Israeli operations against Iran, distancing Brussels from the ongoing offensive even as he left the door open to other forms of regional assistance.
"We are not going to do that," Francken told lawmakers during a session of the parliament's defense committee, convened to assess Belgium's position on the escalating Middle East conflict, a news agency reported.
The minister's remarks walked back statements he had made just a day earlier, which suggested Belgium was weighing military support in the region — comments that prompted several parliamentarians to press him directly on whether a formal assistance request had already been received.
"Not yet. But will we get it? Possibly," Francken replied, clarifying that any such support would only be extended to countries such as Jordan or the United Arab Emirates, and strictly within the bounds of international law.
Francken also noted that as a European Union member state, Belgium would be obligated to come to the defense of the Greek Cypriot Administration if the situation demanded it.
He was, however, emphatic in drawing a firm line between those hypothetical commitments and the active US-Israeli military campaign — which he characterized as operating "against international law." Any involvement in those specific operations, he stressed, was categorically off the table. "We are not going to do that."
"We are not going to do that," Francken told lawmakers during a session of the parliament's defense committee, convened to assess Belgium's position on the escalating Middle East conflict, a news agency reported.
The minister's remarks walked back statements he had made just a day earlier, which suggested Belgium was weighing military support in the region — comments that prompted several parliamentarians to press him directly on whether a formal assistance request had already been received.
"Not yet. But will we get it? Possibly," Francken replied, clarifying that any such support would only be extended to countries such as Jordan or the United Arab Emirates, and strictly within the bounds of international law.
Francken also noted that as a European Union member state, Belgium would be obligated to come to the defense of the Greek Cypriot Administration if the situation demanded it.
He was, however, emphatic in drawing a firm line between those hypothetical commitments and the active US-Israeli military campaign — which he characterized as operating "against international law." Any involvement in those specific operations, he stressed, was categorically off the table. "We are not going to do that."
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