German FM urges de-escalation over phone call with Iranian counterpart

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has urged Iran to stop its attacks on Israel and take de-escalatory steps in the region.

Baerbock held a phone call on Sunday with her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian and condemned Saturday’s drone and missile attack on Israel, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“She called on Iran to immediately cease all violence against Israel, release the container ship MSC Aries, and contribute to de-escalation,” the ministry said in the statement, which was posted on its social media platforms.

Iran conducted an airborne attack Saturday against Israel in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic facility in the Syrian capital. It is said to have fired more than 300 drones and missiles, many of which were intercepted by Israeli air defence systems.

Baerbock told public broadcaster ARD on Sunday evening that Germany would support expanding European Union sanctions against Iran following Saturday’s attack.

She recalled that the EU has already introduced sanctions against Iran for supplying drones to Russia, which were used against Ukraine.

“We have already introduced sanctions in Brussels because of the drones supplied to Russia…I am campaigning intensively to expand them because we can see how dangerous Iran’s actions are at the moment,” Baerbock said.

EU foreign ministers are scheduled to hold a special meeting on Tuesday via video link to discuss the Israel-Iran conflict and the latest developments in the region.