Arab and European Foreign Ministers Emphasize Necessity of Preventing Escalation and Resolving the Iranian Crisis Diplomatically

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot held talks yesterday with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and their German, British, and Italian counterparts, Johann Wadephul, Ed Miliband, and Antonio Tajani, on developments in the Middle East region.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release that the ministers discussed developments in the Middle East, particularly the Iranian crisis and its security and economic repercussions on the region and the international community as a whole.

The statement added that the ministers emphasized the need to prevent any further military escalation and to reach a diplomatic resolution to the dispute, reaffirming their full commitment to contributing to that end.

It clarified that, in this context, the ministers expressed their support for ongoing mediation efforts, particularly those undertaken by the State of Qatar, and called on all parties to continue their talks in a constructive manner.

The statement noted that the ministers agreed on the necessity of ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons and of ending all destabilizing activities through diplomatic channels.

It pointed out that the ministers also stressed the urgent need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in strict compliance with international law.

The statement mentioned that the ministers decided to maintain close coordination among themselves on all these issues.