Europe backs Israel, blames Iran for instability

The European Union opened the G7 in Canada on Sunday by chiding Iran as a destabilizing force in the Middle East and urging diplomacy while backing what it called Israel’s right to defend itself.

“Iran is the principal source of instability in the Middle East,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

Von der Leyen warned that Iran’s destabilizing actions aren’t confined to the Middle East.

“The same type of Iranian-designed drones and ballistic missiles are indiscriminately hitting civilians in Ukraine and now in Israel,” she said. “They must be addressed together.”

The European Commission president called for a unified response to both crises, arguing that any solution must take into account the broader threat posed by Iran’s weapons exports and regional aggression.

“Iran can never have nuclear weapons."

Von der Leyen said she spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss the need for a lasting solution through negotiation, but said Israel “has a right to defend itself.”

US President Donald Trump also spoke by phone with Van der Leyen to discuss the economic fallout of the Iran-Israel war, focusing on potential safeguards to stabilize global energy markets.

The conflict, which saw both countries target each other’s energy infrastructure over the weekend, has already sent oil prices surging and disrupted tanker traffic and supply flows across the region—threatening to push the global economy into deeper volatility.

“The time to give diplomacy a chance is now,” said António Costa, President of the European Council. “We must step up our efforts in the Middle East.”