ISTANBUL

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Saturday that President Donald Trump will refuse any middleman involved in negotiations as US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

"I'm pretty sure that President Trump won't have any middlemen involved in this," Stubb told broadcaster Yle, arguing that any possible negotiations would take place directly between the US and Iran.

Pointing to the seriousness of the current situation in Iran, he warned that the risk of escalation is "very possible."

He reportedly noted that the US is currently operating largely outside traditional international law.

"Usually, justification for these types of attacks has been sought either from the UN or at least from allies. Now, not much has been asked about this," Stubb said.

When asked about the possible Russian reaction to Iranian attacks, Stubb claimed that it would likely be minimal.

He further noted that the attack will affect the broader region as the situation in the Middle East is fragile. "The Gaza ceasefire has cracked, attacks have been seen in Lebanon, and there are tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates."

"We hope that the situation will calm down and a negotiated solution will be found," Stubb added.

For his part, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also commented on the escalating tensions in the region on US social media platform X.

"Now the most important thing is to stop the strikes and any possible counterstrikes as quickly as possible. Finland considers it important to return to dialogue and diplomacy in order to achieve a sustainable solution to the situation with Iran," Orpo said.

Israel and the US announced early Saturday a joint operation against Iran, citing "threats" posed by the "Iranian regime."

The attacks come as talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program had been ongoing under Oman’s mediation. A new round of talks in Geneva ended on Thursday.