403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
EU's Kallas Urges Ceasefire as Iran-Israel Escalation Intensifies
(MENAFN) European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas issued an urgent warning Monday against further escalation between Tel Aviv and Tehran, calling for immediate negotiations as the Middle East braced for fresh fallout from an overnight exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel.
"Over the night we have seen escalation again. The region does not need an escalation, but actually that the parties sit down to a negotiation table and agree," Kallas said ahead of a defense ministers meeting in Nicosia, the Greek Cypriot Administration.
Reaffirming the EU's readiness to facilitate post-ceasefire efforts, Kallas made clear that halting the bloodshed remained the bloc's most pressing priority.
"Ceasefire is very much waited. Stopping this war right now, opening the Strait of Hormuz, and then using the time for a longer discussions when it comes to the more difficult topics like nuclear but other critical issues that are there," she added.
The EU chief's remarks followed a dramatic overnight escalation in which Iran fired several missile barrages toward northern Israel late Sunday — the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April — in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs. Tel Aviv claimed the strike targeted a Hezbollah command and planning center. The Beirut attack left two people dead and 11 others wounded in a preliminary toll.
A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire reached on April 8 had briefly suspended hostilities, but subsequent negotiations collapsed under the weight of implementation disputes and mounting regional flashpoints that followed.
"Over the night we have seen escalation again. The region does not need an escalation, but actually that the parties sit down to a negotiation table and agree," Kallas said ahead of a defense ministers meeting in Nicosia, the Greek Cypriot Administration.
Reaffirming the EU's readiness to facilitate post-ceasefire efforts, Kallas made clear that halting the bloodshed remained the bloc's most pressing priority.
"Ceasefire is very much waited. Stopping this war right now, opening the Strait of Hormuz, and then using the time for a longer discussions when it comes to the more difficult topics like nuclear but other critical issues that are there," she added.
The EU chief's remarks followed a dramatic overnight escalation in which Iran fired several missile barrages toward northern Israel late Sunday — the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April — in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs. Tel Aviv claimed the strike targeted a Hezbollah command and planning center. The Beirut attack left two people dead and 11 others wounded in a preliminary toll.
A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire reached on April 8 had briefly suspended hostilities, but subsequent negotiations collapsed under the weight of implementation disputes and mounting regional flashpoints that followed.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Most popular stories
Market Research
More Story
Comments
No comment