Melike Pala
17 June 2025•Update: 17 June 2025
BRUSSELS
The EU foreign policy chief on Tuesday warned of the "extremely dangerous" situation marked by civilian casualties and the risk of radioactive fallout amid ongoing escalation between Israel and Iran.
Addressing the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg, Kaja Kallas urged all parties to abide by international law, exercise restraint, and avoid actions that could spiral out of control.
"The short-term consequences of fire between Israel and Iran could delay Iran's nuclear efforts, but there is no certainty that Israel will get what it seeks in this way," she said.
Kallas reiterated the EU's position that Iran "must never acquire nuclear weapons", emphasizing diplomacy as the preferred path forward. "Europe stands ready to play its part in brokering a deal regarding the immediate fallout of the conflicts," she added.
Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.
‘Beyond self-defense’
Touching upon Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, Kallas said Tel Aviv’s military campaign in Gaza is “beyond self-defense.”
Her remarks came ahead of an EU review of Tel Aviv's human rights compliance under their bilateral agreement.
She stressed that the continuing civilian deaths and deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be justified.
"Israel's use of force in Gaza, the continuing deaths of civilians and the targeting of civilian infrastructure go beyond self-defense. Israel's actions cannot be justified under humanitarian and international law," she said.
Kallas highlighted the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, noting that while aid warehouses have opened, only one remains operational to accept new deliveries amid relentless military aggression.
"It is perfectly clear for all to see that military means will not provide the solace that the Israeli people are looking for. It has not resulted in the liberation of hostages, and it has now endangered the entire population of Gaza, causing unjustified human suffering," she added.
At the last Foreign Affairs Council meeting last month, she noted that the majority of member states supported opening a review of Israel's compliance with Article Two of the Association Agreement, which requires all parties to uphold binding human rights obligations. She confirmed that this review is currently underway and announced that she will present its findings to the foreign ministers on June 23.
