Iran rejects European leaders’ call to refrain from any retaliatory attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a joint statement Monday endorsing the latest push by mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States to broker an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war.

The European leaders also called for the return of scores of hostages held by Hamas and the “unfettered” delivery of humanitarian aid, and asked that Iran and its allies to refrain from retaliation that would further escalate regional tensions after the late-July killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

According a report by BBC, British Prime Minister expressed his deep concerns directly to Iran’s president by telephone—the first such call since March 2021. Starmer told Pezeshkian, in a late Monday phone conversation that “there was a serious risk of miscalculation and now was the time for calm and careful consideration,” according to Downing Street. He urged Iran to refrain from attacking Israel, adding that “war was not in anyone’s interests.”

On Tuesday morning, Iranian state news agency Irna reported that Pezeshkian had told Starmer that Western countries’ support for Israel had encouraged it to “continue atrocities” and threatened peace and security. Irna further noted, “Pezeshkian stated that from the point of view of the Islamic Republic of Iran, war in any part of the world is not in the interest of any country, emphasising that a punitive response to an aggressor is a legal right of states and a way to stop crime and aggression.”

The Israeli military, according to BBC, stated on Monday that it was taking Iran’s statements seriously. “We are prepared at peak readiness in offence and defence, and we will act according to the directives of the government,” spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a briefing.

An Israeli government spokesman warned Iran and its allies that Israel would “exact a heavy price for any aggression against us from any arena.” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also shared concerns, telling reporters, “We share the same concerns and expectations that our Israeli counterparts have with respect to potential timing here. [It] could be this week.” He added, “It is difficult to ascertain at this particular time if there is an attack by Iran and or its proxies, what that could look like, but we have to be prepared.”

Mediators have spent months trying to get the sides to agree to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages captured in its Oct. 7 attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Gaza. Talks were expected to resume Thursday.

After more than 10 months of fighting, the Palestinian death toll is nearing 40,000 in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry there.