France, Germany and UK urge Iran to ‘negotiate solution’ after attack
Rare joint statement from leaders of European nations makes clear they did not participate in US-Israeli strikes
European leaders have urged Iran to seek a “negotiated solution” as they attempt to end the outbreak of war between the US, Israel and Iran through diplomatic means. They also clarified that they did not participate in the strikes.
In a rare joint statement, the leaders of France, Germany and UK called on the Iranian state to allow its people to determine their own future and condemned Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on US army bases in the region.
The statement by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said: “France, Germany and the United Kingdom have consistently urged the Iranian regime to end Iran’s nuclear program, curb its ballistic missile programme, refrain from its destabilising activity in the region and our homelands, and to cease the appalling violence and repression against its own people.
“We did not participate in these strikes, but are in close contact with our international partners, including the United States, Israel and partners in the region.”
The leaders reiterated their commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian life.
“We condemn Iranian attacks on countries in the region in the strongest terms. Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes. We urge the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future,” the statement said.
The EU said it is exploring “diplomatic paths” with Arab nations, and has called on all parties to exercise “maximise restraint” to protect civilians and respect international law.
The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen described the developments in Iran on Saturday morning as “greatly concerning” and said the EU was in “close contact” with its diplomatic partners in the region.
“We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to safeguarding regional security and stability. Ensuring nuclear safety and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global non-proliferation regime is of critical importance,” she said.
She reassured EU citizens in the region that they could count on the EU’s “full support”.
The EU’s Aspides naval mission remains on high alert in the Red Sea and “stands ready to help keep the maritime corridor open”, she added.
Macron called for an urgent meeting of the UN security council, saying the war has “serious consequences” for international peace and security.
“The current escalation is dangerous for everyone. It must stop. The Iranian regime must understand that it now has no other option but to engage in good-faith negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its actions to destabilise the region,” Macron said on X.
In the United Kingdom, Starmer chaired a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee to discuss how Britain will respond to the attacks.
A government spokesperson said the UK stood ready to protect its interests and had recently bolstered its range of defensive capabilities in the region but did not wish to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict.
“Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and that is why we have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution,” the spokesperson said.
In the Middle East, where the US has a number of military bases, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said Iranian ballistic missiles that targeted sites within their borders were a “flagrant violation” of national sovereignty and international law.
Both countries said they were affirming their right to respond to this escalation by safeguarding their sovereignty. Qatar also said it had downed missiles targeting the country and that it had a right to respond.
Saudia Arabia also condemned the Iranian attacks on the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait “in the strongest possible terms”.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said he supported the US acting to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and threatening international security.
Russia demanded an immediate halt to US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The foreign ministry said the situation must be “returned to the path of political and diplomatic settlement” and that Russia was ready to assist in efforts to find peaceful solutions based on “international law, mutual respect and a balance of interests”.