G7 global leaders ‘demand Iran and its proxies cease attacks’ in race to ease hostilities
WORLD leaders have raced to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s drone and missile blitz on Israel.
In a conference call with fellow G7 leaders yesterday, Rishi Sunak urged them to find an “urgent diplomatic response”as global condemnation of the attacks mounted.
The Prime Minister said afterwards: “I spoke to fellow G7 leaders earlier as we united in condeming Iran’s unprecedented and destabilising attack on Israel. We stand with Israel and its people. Together we will continue to work to end the crisis in Gaza and avoid further regional escalation.”
In a statement, the G7 leaders said they “unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms” Iran’s “direct and unprecedented” attack against Israel.
It continued: “Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel. Israel, with the help of its partners, defeated the attack.
“We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security.
“With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided. We will
‘We express our full solidarity and support for Israel’
continue to work to stabilise the situation and avoid further escalation.
“In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives.
“We will also strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need.”
US President Joe Biden, who was on the conference call, has reportedly told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would not participate in any Israeli counterattack against Iran despite support for Israel being “ironclad”. He reportedly said: “You got a win, take the win,” meaning a response to the foiled attack was unnecessary, two senior US officials said.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told how the US will continue to help Israel defend itself but does not want war with Iran. He said: “We don’t seek escalated tensions in the region.We don’t seek a wider conflict.”
Meanwhile thousands of Iranians took to the streets to celebrate the attack on Israel by chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America”.
Iran’s firing of more than 300 drones and missiles came in retaliation for an April 1 strike that levelled the five-storey consular annexe of the Iranian embassy in
Syrian capital Damascus, killing seven Revolutionary Guards, two of them generals.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later insisted Israel must be punished for the attack.
Severe
The Iranian envoy to the UN said yesterday that “the issue can be considered closed”.
He warned the US to “stay away” from the escalating conflict, saying: “If the Israeli regime makes another mistake, the response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be considerably more severe.”
The Iranian parliament’s Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also warned Israel of “harsher responses” if there is reaction to Sunday’s attack.
But Itamar Ben Gvir, the Israeli minister for national security, said the country must go “berserk” in response. He warned Israel “must not be wimpish”.
Nato condemned Iran’s attack and called for “restraint” as it said it was closely monitoring developments. Spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah added: “It is vital that the conflict in the Middle East does not spiral out of control.”
Pope Francis urged regional leaders to avoid further escalation, and urged all nations to “take the side of peace”. He also called for a two
state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.
The Pope added: “I make a heartfelt appeal for a halt to any action that might fuel a spiral of violence, with the risk of dragging the Middle East into an even greater conflict.
“No one should threaten the existence of others. No more war, no more attacks, no more violence, yes to dialogue and yes to peace.”
Restraint
Saudi Arabia also called for “maximum restraint”.
In the UK, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the Government is putting “all of our efforts” into de-escalation, saying no one wants to see a “miscalculation or an escalation”.
Tory MP Sarah Atherton urged for “calm on all sides”. She said: “It is deeply worrying that this has happened, bringing further instability to the Middle East.
“The deployment of further RAF aircraft, reinforcing the capability of Operation Shader, which is the
UK’s existing counter-Daesh [Isis] operation in Iraq and Syria, will provide international support to stabilise the region.
“I would now urge calm on all sides to avoid further bloodshed and for diplomatic efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.”
Labour backed Government action taken overnight to help protect Israel.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “We should be clear that if action hadn’t been taken to prevent those strikes, we would have seen further escalation and further risk of widening conflict.”
Conservative Party deputy chair Rachel Maclean insisted the RAF and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron were working to prevent “further escalation”.
A report today warns Iran poses a “unique challenge” to both the security and social cohesion.
The Policy Exchange think-tank urged the Home Office and Security Service to actively take up efforts to counter Iranian subversion in Britain. It also wants a crackdown on some visas.
I WITNESSED on Saturday night the most intensive aerial assault I have seen against Israel.
But Iran’s unprecedented attack was a total failure with the majority of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles knocked out before entering Israeli territory.
The total effect of this massive bombardment was the severe wounding of a child and minor damage to an air base.
Symbolic
Nevertheless, it is important to recognise this was not a symbolic attack designed to fail.That would have been done with far fewer missiles and drones.The response to this strike should be commensurate with Iran’s clear intent:To hit hundreds of targets and kill hundreds of people.
Yet US President Joe Biden has told Benjamin Netanyahu that he should consider this “a win”. In other words: Take it on the chin.
It is exactly this approach from the start of Biden’s presidency that has led us to where we are today – consistently appeasing Iran and responding with abject feebleness to repeated attacks against US forces.
Of course the ayatollahs ignored Biden’s hollow warnings not to attack Israel and they have threatened the US not to get involved in any Israeli retaliation.
Lining up with Biden’s timorous message Iran’s military mission to the UN said that, with its strike on Israel, “the matter can be deemed concluded”. But it is far from concluded. Iran has repeatedly confirmed its intent to annihilate the Jewish state and has constructed a “ring of fire” of proxies surrounding Israel to achieve that. Most seriously, Iran is on the verge of gaining nuclear weapons.
If Saturday’s demonstration of Iran’s menace does not convince world leaders that this cannot be allowed to continue, nothing will.
I believe only a devastating response against Iran will reduce the chances of further escalation and perhaps at least disrupt the nuclear weapons programme.
Perilous
There are many dangers with this and it is up to Israel to decide how to respond to the perilous situation Iran has created.
Whatever it does, it should have the unequivocal backing of its allies, especially the US, Britain and France, all of whose forces commendably took to the skies on Saturday night to help defend Israel.