Brussels, 17/06/2025 

Check against delivery! 

Thank you. Good day, everybody.  

We just concluded the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on the situation in the Middle East, with the EU foreign ministers.  

Over the past five days, Israel and Iran have traded attacks, and this has raised the risk of wider conflict in the region. So, today's meeting provided the opportunity to share views and coordinate our diplomatic efforts.  

Ministers called on all sides to abide by international law, exercise restraint and avoid actions that could spiral out of control. We all agreed the urgent need for de-escalation.  

Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and diplomacy is the solution to prevent this. The EU will play its part. I also took note of the support of the EU ministers in the European Union for my involvement - in the de-escalation. I will spare no efforts in this respect.

That is why we also agree that a diplomatic solution is the best way to address Iran's nuclear program in the long run – and Europe stands ready to play its part. Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared Iran [to be] in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. We cannot be lenient when Iran accelerates its nuclear program. 

Today, Ministers also discussed concrete actions the EU is taking in this crisis. We have activated the civil protection mechanism, and we are assisting Member States to evacuate their citizens that wish to leave. In parallel, we stand ready to deploy civil protection experts and our naval [EUNAVFOR] operation ASPIDES which continues to protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks, while providing valuable situational awareness.   

Ministers also discussed the impact of the crisis on global energy markets. The war has heightened risks, and as President von der Leyen has said, the EU stands ready to coordinate with partners to protect market stability. 

And finally, Ministers were clear that we will not let our focus on Gaza slip. We again called for the immediate full aid access, ceasefire, and the release of hostages. And of course, we will discuss this matter deeply in the Foreign Affairs Council that is taking place on Monday.

Lastly, Russian forces yesterday carried out one of the most devastating airstrikes on Kyiv in the war. So far, with 14 casualties and many still missing. Russia remains unrelenting in its attacks, targeting civilians and prolonging its war. This is yet another sign : Russia is just not interested in peace, so we must keep up the pressure. 

Thank you. I am ready for your questions. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-273875 

Q&A. 

Q. High Representative, can you say whether the Ministers today agreed or discussed anything that would materially influence the calculus of either side in this conflict. If so, what can, or will the EU do, to do that? And if not, what is the purpose of meetings like these? 

For me, it is also important that when we have the meetings, there are clear outcomes. And today, the clear outcome was the coordination that we do for our own citizens to evacuate them from there. We have Member States that have planes vacating. We have Member States who do not have planes, and we coordinate the efforts so that our citizens are safe. That is one thing. 

The other discussion, of course, is, what can we do to really help the de-escalation? And there it was clear that now, as the Iran and US talks have run into some kind of standstill, then actually the European Union and Europe as such, has a role to play. Yesterday, we had a call with the E3 ministers, myself, and also the Iranian Minister, to see what more can we do to really sit down and de-escalate. As all of us agree, it is a diplomatic solution. That is the only one, also for the Iran nuclear program. Thank you.

Q. You mentioned the attack on Kyiv. With this background, what you think about the idea to engage with Russia to mediate this conflict? And is it the idea of decrease the price cap on oil actual, because the situation has influenced the market of oil, and the price is higher than it was before? Thank you. 

Thank you. Well, clearly Russia – or Mr. Putin, or President Putin – is not somebody who can talk about peace while we see actions like this. It is not a mediator that can really be considered. We have to keep in mind that Iran has helped Russia to do these attacks also against Ukraine – and their cooperation is working in this regard. So no, Russia cannot be the mediator if they do not really believe in peace.  

Then, on the oil price cap. Actually, I think that we should move forward with the oil price cap, especially because of the tensions also in the Middle East. The whole idea of the oil price cap is actually to lower the prices. I think we should not end up in the situation where the situation in the Middle East will increase the oil prices and actually also make Russia earn more – because that means that they are able to fund their war machine again, in a bigger scale. So, we definitely need to move on with the oil price cap. Thank you. 

Q. Madam High Representative, in 2015 the European Union led a successful multilateral effort to get the nuclear deal – which was, according to the IAEA’s 14^th reports, this program was under control, under verification. There is no problem, until the Mr Trump went out of the of the agreement. Today, these days, they were negotiating until the fifth round, and both Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu launched the war against Iran. My question: in this very difficult context, can the European Union play any new diplomatic role to defuse the tension between Israel and Iran? This one first. And find, of course, a political, diplomatic solution to the nuclear deal? The second point is that, should the European Union now renew its regional approach, because what is happening in Iran is diverting the views and the opinions and the eyes from what is going on in Gaza since 20 months. Mr. Netanyahu is changing from states, from one who is accused by the ICC to a hero in Israel. So again, in one word, my question: should European Union develop an holistic approach, a new approach, which should deal with both nuclear and the problem of the Middle East Peace Process. Thank you. 

Thank you. Yes, the European Union can play and will play its part in reaching a diplomatic solution. We are in contact also with the Iranians as well as the Israelis to really de-escalate the situation, because the stability of the region is in everybody's interest. That is why we are also in contact with regional partners. They are very worried about the spillover effect and the tensions rising in the region, and we are willing to work with them.  

I want to stress again, like many Ministers said today, that we will not lose sight of what is happening in Gaza. We will discuss that in more depth, also on Monday, to really let the humanitarian aid in, to help the people on the ground, and to come to the ceasefire, release the hostages, but also stop the suffering of the people. So, the EU will play its part. And I think, considering the developments, the European Union actually has a bigger role now that Iran and US talks have been hindered. Thank you.

Q. Is the EU not sending, in a way, mixed signals or showing us its division when we have, on the one hand, the Commission President insisting on Israel's right to self-defence, looking at Iran. And then secondly, was the Association Agreement’s revision topic discussed today? And can you tell us at what stage you are with this revision? Thank you. 

Thank you. So of course, we are 27 different Member States, and we sometimes have different views. But also today, we had clear agreement that we support the diplomatic efforts to get to the point where Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb. Bringing down the tensions is important. When it comes to the Association Agreement’s Article Two review, then it is ongoing, and this will be discussed on Monday. We did not discuss it today. Thank you.

Q. High Representative, I want to ask you about two things that Donald Trump said in the recent hours. First, he said that he wants a real deal with Iran giving up entirely its nuclear programme. Do you agree with this assessment that Iran should also give up its nuclear programme, for civilian purposes? And second, Donald Trump, he suggested that the US could get involved in the conflict. Do you see America's potential involvement as a positive or negative step in the de-escalation? Thank you. 

Thank you. Of course, the United States will speak for itself when it comes to their steps, and we have had the discussions with Iran regarding the nuclear program, I think this is up to the negotiations. It is clear that everybody agrees that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and that is our end goal. But of course, there is a difference with understanding whether nuclear is totally out of the question, also for peaceful or civil purposes, which Iran is not agreeing to right now. When it comes to the United States getting involved, then it will definitely drag the region into a broader conflict and this is in nobody's interest. From my call with the Secretary of State, Rubio, he emphasised that it is also not in their interest to be drawn into this conflict. Thank you.

Q. A follow-up, if I may, because we saw the statement by G7 this morning, and it does not talk about a diplomatic solution. So, what I understand from what you said is that the European perspective is that of a diplomatic solution. Are you, in this case, getting some distance from what was said in the G7? And we do not see Israel, or Iran for what it matters, to be willing to stop this conflict or this war. So exactly what do you expect in the in the next days? And do you think that what Israel did, this first attack, was justified? 
And still, if I may, a follow up question regarding Monday. Should we expect concrete measures from your side, concrete proposals in order to put pressure on Israel, to allow the humanitarian aid to enter into Gaza. Thank you. 

Thank you. I do not have the G7 statement here with me, but I do not remember that it was so much different. The European perspective is to have a diplomatic solution for the nuclear program of Iran. The initial JCPOA, like it was mentioned in 2015, addressed exactly that. And of course, it was regrettable that the US withdrew from this agreement at one point. Still, we tried to achieve this diplomatic, peaceful solution.  

Then on next days, what to expect: of course, we have called on both parties to exercise restraint and de-escalate. Of course, they are saying that if the other one stops, they will stop as well. But it is clear that we have these channels open, and we are constantly pushing to really to stop this war, because the risks for escalation and the risks of spillover effect are too great, just like the risks of miscalculation, which are making this conflict even bigger. 

On Article Two review, I was tasked to do the Article Two review and come up with it for the next Foreign Affairs Council. So of course, Member States will then express what they want to do with this. Their view is not ready yet. It is being drafted, but the real goal for the Foreign Affairs Council is to have this review done, like the Member States asked. Thank you.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-273929