The president of the United States condemns Iran's attack on Israel and guarantees his support for the attacked country. The Chancellor warns of further escalation.
He is on the side of Israel, but does not want war with Iran: Joe Biden in graffiti in Tel Aviv Photo: Reuters
SEDAN taz | Iranian drone and missile attacks on Israel on Sunday night have raised international concerns about a war between the two hostile states. Consequently, crisis diplomacy came into full operation on Sunday. The G7 countries wanted to meet by video conference in the afternoon. The World Security Council was also scheduled to meet on Sunday. At the same time, several heads of state and government condemned Tehran for the major attack and warned against further escalation.
US President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that night. The White House later said Biden strongly condemned the “brazen” attack and reaffirmed the United States' “strong commitment” to Israel's security. At the same time, Washington made clear during the day that it had no intention of going to war with Iran. “We don't want any escalation,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told NBC.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke Sunday afternoon from Chongqing, where he landed early in the morning for his three-day trip to China. Iran's nighttime rocket and drone attacks on Israel were “an unforgivable attack,” the chancellor said. She clearly warned of further escalation. Israel has every right to defend itself, the Chancellor stressed. However: “We can only warn everyone, especially Iran, not to continue like this,” she said.
The Chancellor adjusted his China program for Sunday and canceled his participation in an afternoon boat trip. Instead, Scholz wanted to participate in a change conference of the G7 countries. At the invitation of the president country, Italy, the heads of state and government of the seven main democratic industrial states wanted to discuss the Tehran attack.
Hamas applause
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Iran has shown once again that it intends to wreak havoc in its own backyard.” His country will continue working for the security of Israel.
Tehran received applause from the radical Islamic group Hamas. “We in Hamas consider that the military action of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a natural right and a deserved response to the crime committed in the Iranian consulate in Damascus and the assassination of several leaders of the Revolutionary Guard,” the terrorist organization stated. The Houthi militia in Yemen, from where the United States says some of the projectiles were fired, also called the attack justified.
UN Secretary General António Guterres called on Sunday for “an immediate cessation of hostilities.” He said he was “deeply alarmed by the very real threat of a devastating escalation across the region.” A special session of the UN Security Council was scheduled that same afternoon.
Here, the federal government's crisis team had already met in the morning under the leadership of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. “The Iranian regime has clearly brought the entire Near and Middle East to the brink,” Baerbock later explained. Israel deserves “Germany's full solidarity.” At the same time, voices in the federal government were growing louder to toughen the move toward Tehran.
But first, Iran reacted. On Sunday, Tehran summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Britain and France over their “irresponsible” reactions to the Iranian attacks.