BERLIN: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday warned Iran against further “escalation” after Israel struck Iranian military sites overnight.
Scholz’s remarks came after Israel said it conducted airstrikes on Iranian military targets, which it said were in retaliation for an Iranian missile attack earlier this month.
“My message to Iran is clear: massive escalating reactions must not continue. These must stop immediately. Only then can we open the possibility of a peaceful evolution in the Middle East,” Scholz posted on the social media platform X.
The German Chancellor called for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. Scholz further urged for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Addressing the situation in Lebanon, Scholz referred to UN Resolution 1701, which was established following the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution mandates the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from southern Lebanon, particularly areas south of the Litani River, to prevent armed confrontations near the shared border.
“We expect Hezbollah to withdraw beyond the Litani River, to allow for a peaceful evolution,” Scholz stated.
Meanwhile, Turkey strongly condemned Israel’s strikes on Iranian military sites and called for an end to what it described as Israel’s “terror” in the Middle East.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement, urged the international community to act in order to prevent further violence and to restore stability across the region. “Putting an end to the terror created by Israel in the region has become a historic task for the establishment of international peace and security,” the foreign ministry said.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the Israeli attack on Iran. By committing genocide in Gaza, preparing to annex the West Bank and killing civilians every day in Lebanon, Israel has brought our region to the brink of a greater war,” the foreign ministry said.
Turkey’s statement said it called on the international community to take steps to restrain the Israeli government and ensure that international law is respected.
Turkey asked that “actors in and outside the region adopt a rational and prudent attitude”.
Meanwhile, Russia warned that an “explosive escalation” in hostilities between Iran and Israel risked spiralling out of control after Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian military sites.
Israel warned Tehran would “pay a heavy price” if it retaliated to its strikes, and the United States, Britain, and Germany demanded Iran not to further escalate the conflict.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed deep concern over “the ongoing explosive escalation” in the region and called for immediate restraint from all involved parties.
“We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint, stop the violence, and prevent events from developing into a catastrophic scenario,” Zakharova stated. “It is necessary to avoid provoking Iran into retaliation and to escape this dangerous spiral of escalation.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin told a summit of the BRICS group of emerging countries this week that tensions between Israel and Iran risked leading to a full-scale war in the Middle East region.
“The level of confrontation between Iran and Israel has sharply risen. This is all reminiscent of a chain reaction and puts the whole Middle East on the verge of full-scale war,” the Russian leader said.
