Germany calls on Iran to rebuild trust, resume nuclear talks

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on June 18 urged Iran to take swift and concrete steps toward a diplomatic resolution to the worsening conflict with Israel.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin alongside Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Wadephul underscored the readiness of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom — the so-called E3 group — to facilitate a diplomatic path forward, but insisted that Tehran must initiate the process, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“Alongside my French and British counterparts and the EU’s foreign policy chief, we spoke with Iran’s foreign minister by phone on Monday,” Wadephul said. “We presented a clear proposal and reaffirmed the E3’s willingness to negotiate. But the responsibility now lies with Iran to take the first step.”

He emphasised that Iran must implement verifiable and trust-building actions, especially those that would demonstrate its leadership does not aspire to possess nuclear weapons. “It’s never too late to negotiate sincerely,” Wadephul added.

Reiterating Germany’s support for Israel, the minister said Israeli concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions were “legitimate,” and described Israel’s airstrikes as “understandable.” At the same time, he condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks, reiterating the Western consensus that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Addressing speculation about potential US involvement in Israel’s military operations, Wadephul said there was no indication that Washington had taken part in the strikes. “The US has made its position clear,” he said, referring to Republican Senator Marco Rubio’s early remarks that the United States would not enter the conflict militarily. “I value Senator Rubio’s statements, and based on those and the official US position, I believe this assessment remains valid,” Wadephul added.

However, he cautioned that any Iranian military action against US assets in the region would provoke a forceful American response.

Asked about reports suggesting Israel may be aiming for regime change in Iran or even targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Wadephul dismissed such claims. He stated that Israeli officials had repeatedly assured him that their objectives were limited to stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons and dismantling its long-range missile capabilities. “Israel has no other intentions toward Iran beyond that,” he said.

By Tamilla Hasanova