Britain, Germany and France back US and blame Iran for attack on Saudi oil facilities
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Britain, Germany and France announced that they are backing the United States and blamed Iran on Monday for the attack on Saudi oil facilities. In their statements, the three countries urged Tehran to agree to new talks with world powers on its nuclear and missile programs and regional security issues.
The Europeans issued a joint statement after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the United Nations on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders.
The joint statement began: “We, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, recall our shared common security interests, in particular upholding the global non-proliferation regime and preserving stability in the Middle East.”
It concluded: “We are committed to continuing our diplomatic efforts to create conditions and facilitate dialogue with all relevant partners interested in de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, in the interest of preserving international peace and security. … We urge Iran to engage in such a dialogue and refrain from further provocation and escalation.”
But Iran ruled out the possibility of negotiating a new deal with powers, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday, saying European partners have failed to fulfil their commitments under a 2015 nuclear pact.
“It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation. We support ongoing investigations to establish further details,” Britain, France and Germany said.
Macron has led a European push over the summer to find a compromise between the United States and Iran and wants to use the U.N. meeting as an opportunity to revive diplomacy, though his efforts have stalled in recent weeks.
When asked about Macron’s attempt to mediate, U.S. President Donald Trump said: “We don’t need a mediator. … They (Iran) know who to call.” The United States will intensify pressure on Iran, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook said in New York on Monday.
The United States was seeking to address the issue through diplomacy and a multilateral effort, and there was a role for the United Nations Security Council to play, Hook said without elaborating.
