The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Saturday spoke on the phone with Benjamin Netanyahu, on initiative of the Israeli Prime Minister, while Israel continued its hits on strategic targets in Iran.
Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear sites on Friday, causing 78 dead and 320 injured, few days before a new round of Iran-US nuclear talks. The crisis has since escalated with retaliatory strikes from Iran and mutual threats between Israel and Iran, sparking global concern for the conflict.
From the beginning, Greece has maintained its position urging all parties to avoid further escalation and utilize all available diplomatic and dialogue channels.
Sunday’s scheduled nuclear talks in Oman between Iran and US were officially cancelled.
During a call with the Israeli Prime Minister on Saturday afternoon, the Greek Premier emphasized the need for de-escalation in the Israel Iran crisis.
While he did acknowledge that Iran must not acquire a nuclear arsenal, Mitsotakis also stressed to Netanyahu that the solution lies in diplomacy and that the last thing the region needs is new fronts of conflict.
The Greek Prime Minister highlighted the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid.
According to Reuters, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s strikes had set back Iran’s nuclear program possibly by years but rejected international calls for restraint.
On the contrary, he insisted that the attack would be intensified.
“We will hit every site and every target of the Ayatollahs’ regime, and what they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days,” he said in a video message.
Iran’s South Pars gas field, the world’s largest natural gas field shared by Iran and Qatar, was reportedly hit by an Israeli missile on Saturday evening, causing Iran to halt its power production at the plant.
The 6th round of nuclear talks between Iran and US scheduled to take place in Oman tomorrow and which appear to have triggered the Israeli attack, will not go forward, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced.
“The Iran US talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place. But diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace,” Albusaidi posted on X.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a 50-minute phone call Saturday to discuss the escalating situation in the Middle East and Ukraine peace talks, Putin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said.
“Vladimir Putin, having condemned the military operation against Iran, expressed serious concern about the possible escalation of the conflict,” Ushakov told journalists.
Putin briefed Trump on his recent talks with the leaders of Iran and Israel and reiterated Russia’s proposal to seek mutually acceptable solutions on the Iranian nuclear issue. He said Russia is ready to carry out possible mediation efforts.
With regards to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Putin noted that an exchange of prisoners of war is taking place and Russia was ready to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians.
Trump said the situation in Iran is alarming, and he hoped for a speedy end to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
