Germany summons Iranian ambassador over missile strikes on Israel

The German Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's ambassador to Germany following the recent missile attack on Israel. However, the ambassador was unavailable, and a representative attended the meeting instead.

At a briefing, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry stated, “We summoned the Iranian ambassador today, but he was out of town, and his attorney showed up. We made it clear that we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, a direct Iranian strike on Israeli territory,” as reported by Caliber.Az via foreign media.

The spokesperson added that “this attack cannot be justified in any way,” urging Iran to cease its assaults, including those executed via regional allies.

When questioned about potential new sanctions against Tehran, the spokesperson indicated, “We have a whole set of measures that we will discuss together with our European and international partners.” They emphasized the necessity for the EU to respond and mentioned plans for discussions with partners in Brussels.

In the wake of Iran's attack on October 1, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned the missile strikes vehemently, stating, “I condemn the ongoing attack in the strongest possible terms. Iran must stop the attack immediately.” She warned that such actions are “leading the region into the abyss.”

The Iranian missile barrage was a response to Israeli strikes targeting leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Lebanon. Following these events, Iran launched over 500 ballistic missiles, signalling a significant escalation. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reportedly in hiding, threatened in Hebrew that future strikes would be even more devastating for Israel, vowing to intensify actions against the "Zionist regime" with divine assistance.

Additionally, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian issued a stark warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that while Iran was not seeking war, it would retaliate forcefully against any provocation. Pezeshkian characterized the recent attacks as merely a glimpse of Iran's military capabilities, cautioning Netanyahu against confrontation.

By Tamilla Hasanova