EU Calls for Maximum Restraint Over Middle East Tensions

(MENAFN) The European Union is tracking developments in Iran and across the Middle East “with utmost concern,” with the bloc’s top diplomat calling on all parties to pull back from the edge as fears of a wider, destabilizing conflict grow.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas issued the stark warning Sunday in a formal statement on behalf of the 27-nation bloc, as she simultaneously convened an emergency video conference of EU foreign ministers to address the rapidly deteriorating situation.

The statement called for maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and full respect for international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law, warning that the Middle East “stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war.”

Beyond the immediate humanitarian stakes, the EU sounded the alarm over broader consequences, cautioning that events unfolding in Iran must not trigger a chain reaction capable of threatening Europe and the wider world — with potentially unpredictable fallout extending into the global economic sphere.

The bloc also stressed the critical importance of keeping vital maritime corridors open, explicitly warning that any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply flows — must be avoided at all costs.

On the nuclear front, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing diplomatic channels to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The statement underscored the necessity of Tehran’s full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and strict compliance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.

Kallas convened Sunday’s emergency ministerial session as pressure mounts on the bloc to present a unified and decisive response to one of the most volatile escalations the region has witnessed in years.

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