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The European Union warned Sunday against a prolonged war in the Middle East, saying further escalation could threaten Europe and beyond, as it urged Iran to avoid indiscriminate retaliation following U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Foreign ministers from the bloc’s 27 member states held extraordinary talks via video link on the second day of the assault that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called for a “credible transition” in Iran.
“The Middle East stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after the talks.
“The events unfolding in Iran must not lead to an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond, with unpredictable consequences, also in the economic sphere,” she added.
A European diplomat said two French vessels would reinforce the EU’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea, bringing the total number of warships involved to five, as Iranian retaliatory strikes threatened maritime traffic.
EU foreign ministers are expected to meet again in the coming days for talks with Gulf counterparts, the diplomat said.
NATO said its top commander in Europe was closely monitoring developments and adjusting forces as needed to defend against “potential threats,” particularly ballistic missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles.
The commander, U.S. General Alexus Grynkewich, is in active and regular contact with military leaders on both sides of the Atlantic and with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the alliance said.
Writing on X after calls with several Middle East leaders, von der Leyen said the death of Khamenei had sparked “renewed hope for the people of Iran” but also carried “a real risk of instability.”
She called for a “lasting solution” following conversations with Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The risk of further escalation is real. This is why a credible transition in Iran is urgently needed,” von der Leyen said, urging a halt to Iran’s military nuclear and ballistic missile programs and an end to destabilizing actions on air, land and sea.
Kallas said she had also been in contact with regional partners “that bear the brunt of Iran’s military actions” to identify practical steps toward de-escalation.
“The death of Ali Khamenei is a defining moment in Iran’s history,” she wrote on X, adding that what comes next is uncertain but that there is now an open path to a different Iran.
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