Europe's call for diplomacy in Middle East welcomed

With renewed calls for diplomacy between the United States and Iran coming from Europe on Monday following US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, European foreign ministers have chosen the right path, experts and politicians have said, while pointing out that the move suits both the EU's and the wider world's best interests.

"De-escalation is urgent. A wider regional conflict must be avoided. Those with influence on Israel and Iran should use it to push for talks," Ian Borg, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs and tourism in Malta's government, wrote on X. "During today's informal video conference of EU foreign affairs ministers, I reiterated Malta's support for immediate de-escalation efforts."

Qin Yan, a principal analyst at ClearBlue Markets in Oslo, Norway, said: "For a long time, Europe's policy regarding Israel-Iran issues has faced a dilemma: economically, Europe is so connected to any possible price rise it should employ all means to secure peace in the Middle East, but politically it is so ideologically bound with the US and Israel that it always puts pressure on Iran. But they should realize that if Iran is pressed into a corner, it will be Europe that suffers the most."

Qin based her analysis on the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to the global oil market. Although oil exported via the strait accounts for only a small portion of the EU's total, it accounts for roughly 20 percent of the world's oil flow and the possibility of the strait closing down would drive global energy prices higher.

"A key buyer in the global energy market, the EU is rather sensitive to energy prices due to its dependence on fossil imports," she said. "So, the best strategy for the EU is to maintain peace in the Middle East, not to stand with Israel only because it's an ally of the US."

Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission, said before the European foreign ministers' meeting on Monday: "The concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge, especially closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody."

Qin said the path chosen by European foreign ministers this time is right, because it serves the interests of not only European nations but the whole world.

Shada Islam, an influential Brussels-based specialist on European Union affairs, told China Daily: "The EU is right to call for diplomacy but, frankly, today it's a bit too late for such a statement. The diplomatic alternative to military strikes should have been hammered home to both Israel and the US days ago, more forcefully and with more conviction.

"Today, the EU is once again on the sidelines, looking in."

zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn