Germany warns of Mideast crisis of 'gravest order'
Germany and France on Wednesday called for de-escalation of the Middle East war with Germany's top diplomat warning of a "crisis of the gravest order" if global supply chains continue to be disrupted.
"We must try to find a point where the military objectives (the United States and Israel) have set are achieved, and where we can then move towards de-escalation and a cessation of hostilities," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.
Otherwise, the region and the whole world could be plunged into "a crisis of the gravest order", Wadephul said.
"The supply of fertilizer from this region alone is so essential that a prolonged disruption would threaten a food crisis across large parts of Africa," he added, also highlighting the "refugee flows" that a prolonged war could cause.
Speaking alongside Wadephul in Berlin, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also called for "the swiftest possible de-escalation and a cessation of hostilities".
"Military escalation in the region carries with it major risks for our interests, for the safety of our nationals on the ground, but also for our partners and for the global economy," Barrot said.
Wadephul said a change of government in Iran was "desirable" given "the brutality and ruthlessness of this regime" but warned that "this must develop from within the country".
"This will not happen in the short term during wartime," he predicted, warning that "such military interventions have not led to an orderly regime change in either Iraq or Libya".
Barrot said Iran "must be prepared to make major concessions and undergo a radical change of stance, thereby paving the way for a political solution to emerge".
Any negotiated solution must "enable Iran to coexist peacefully with its regional neighbors and allow the Iranian people to shape their future freely," he said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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