Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, warned on Thursday that the Middle East is on the brink of a regional war and urged European leaders to call for a measured response from Israel to the Iranian attack. Speaking upon his arrival in Italy for a meeting with the G7 foreign ministers, Borrell emphasized the dangers of escalating responses that could lead to widespread conflict.
“We are on the edge of a regional war in the Middle East that could send shockwaves across the world, particularly impacting Europe,” Borrell stated. He also noted that humanitarian support to Gaza has slightly increased but remains significantly insufficient.
These remarks come a day after the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron called on the world’s largest economies to coordinate sanctions against Iran to present a united front. The European Union previously announced plans to expand sanctions against Iran following the recent attack by the Islamic Republic.
European Council President Charles Michel also confirmed the imposition of new sanctions against Iran at a European Union summit, stating, “We have decided to impose sanctions on Iran, which is a clear signal we wish to send.”
The recent tensions between Iran and Israel escalated significantly in April 2024 with a major attack orchestrated by Iran. This conflict, part of a broader escalation in the region, involved a coordinated drone, cruise missile, and ballistic missile attack by Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis against Israel. This assault, dubbed Operation True Promise, was Iran’s largest and first direct military action against Israel, retaliating for an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus two weeks earlier. This conflict marks a significant escalation in the ongoing proxy wars between Israel and Iran, particularly influenced by the broader Israel-Gaza conflict.
Global reactions have been of deep concern, with many nations urging restraint to prevent a full-scale regional war. The European Union, United States, and other global powers have condemned the attacks and are pushing for diplomatic solutions to prevent further escalation. The EU has expressed its intention to expand sanctions against Iran, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and its potential implications for global security.
