Germany on Monday called on Iran and Israel to prevent a fresh escalation in Lebanon and seize the momentum created by a newly announced US-Iran agreement aimed at ending the fighting.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed the deal, announced Sunday by Washington and Tehran, as “good news,” and said Berlin stands ready to help advance the process once full details emerge.
“Iran must now exert influence on Hezbollah to ensure there are no further attacks on Israel,” Wadephul told reporters ahead of a meeting with EU counterparts in Luxembourg. “And as for Israel, there will be no reason for it to launch or carry out attacks in Lebanon. This is an opportunity for the entire region, and we should seize it together now.”
Asked whether the EU could help facilitate moving the US-Iran deal forward, Wadephul expressed willingness but stressed the need for clarity on its terms.
“We really need to understand the substance of the agreement in detail — something I assume will only be fully possible on Friday,” he said. “However, the Europeans have consistently stated their readiness to play a role in restoring the navigability of the Strait of Hormuz. I believe we simply need to keep an open mind.”
Wadephul added that Europeans could consider expanding the EU’s Aspides mission to take a more active part in ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. “It is in Europe’s interest for this vital trade route to function smoothly, and if we can contribute to that, we should be prepared to do so,” he said.
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