AFET Chair welcomes the de-escalation of violence in the Gulf region

Statement by the Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) David McAllister on the current situation in Iraq and Iran.

“I am gravely concerned by the latest violent developments in Iraq, after the recent death of Iranian General Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. There is now an immediate need to diffuse tensions and for all parties involved to exercise serious restraint in order to stop the cycle of violence and reprisals. After so many years of joint efforts to combat ISIS and bring peace and stability to Iraq, and with the whole region clearly at stake, further confrontation and loss of human lives must be avoided. Preserving the Coalition is key in this regard.

Iran must stick to its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The EU clearly supports the JCPOA agreement as a key factor in the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and it remains a common interest. This major achievement for regional security, that aims to prevent a nuclear arms race, must be respected.”