The calls for containment are repeated this Friday after the alleged Israeli response to Iran’s attack last Saturday. After three days meeting on the paradisiacal island of Capri, the foreign ministers of the G7, the group of the richest democracies in the world, have called on both countries to restraint and have threatened Tehran with new sanctions if it does not contribute to a de-escalation in the region.
“We have condemned Iran’s recent attack against Israel. The G7 supports Israel’s security, but we invite all parties to work to avoid an escalation,” the host minister, the Italian, summarized in the final press conference of the summit. Antonio Tajani, in charge of explaining the conclusions of the conclave on the island in the Gulf of Naples.
The deputy prime minister of Italy, the country that this year hosts the presidency of the G7, has made it clear that the meeting has been political and that everyone has committed to working actively to reduce tensions. “The G7 will not act as a spectator – he warned -. We will do what is in our power to achieve the short and long-term objectives.”
In the final statement, the G7 foreign ministers – made up of Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom – also call on the ayatollah regime to “cease its relationship” with the Palestinian militia of Hamas or the Lebanese Hizbullah. Furthermore, they consider the Iranian Government responsible for its “malicious and destabilizing” actions and declare themselves ready to adopt “sanctions and other measures” if they continue down this path, although they do not specify the type of sanctions.
The apparent drone attack in Iran is surrounded by great confusion: some US officials have claimed that it was with a missile, but Iranian media point to drones fired from inside the country. When asked about this in Capri, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has not confirmed any of the information and has limited himself to answering that Washington has not participated in any “offensive operation.” He has also refused to comment on reports published by American media that Israel warned the United States in advance of the attack.
The calls for moderation were echoed in Europe. “It is absolutely necessary that the region remains stable and that all parties refrain from taking further measures,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also points to a de-escalation: “A significant escalation benefits no one. What we want to see is for calm to prevail throughout the region.” The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has also stated that he opposes any action that escalates tensions in the Middle East.
As is customary in previous attacks on foreign soil, Israel has maintained silence about responsibility. The only member of the government who has broken the pact of silence has been the Israeli Minister of National Security, an ultra hawk of Beniamín Netanyahu’s government, who called the attack “weak” or “pathetic”, implying that Israel was behind it. of the same. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but Gvir’s reaction “reduces Israel’s margin for plausible deniability and undermines its power of deterrence. An absolute shame on the part of a minister,” noted academic and host of a podcast on geopolitics Shaiel Ben Ephraim.
