European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday said Israel has a right to defend itself against Iran, but stressed that a diplomatic solution was the best option in the long-term to address Iran’s nuclear program, Reuters reports.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a gathering of G7 leaders in Canada, von der Leyen said she had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call to discuss the situation. “Iran is the principal source of regional instability, and we’ve always been very clear, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” she said.
Leaders of the world’s largest industrial nations are meeting in Canada’s Rockies with European countries seeking to keep the war in Ukraine firmly on the mind of U.S. President Donald Trump despite fighting breaking out between Israel and Iran in the Middle East.
Regarding trade negotiations with the Trump administration, she said she preferred a negotiated solution ahead of a July 9 deadline, but that the bloc was preparing contingencies in the event no agreement was reached.
