Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), like many other politicians, fears a fire in the Middle East after the major Iranian attack on Israel. For the Chancellor, the attacks by the mullahs’ regime represent “a new dimension of the spiral of violence.” That is why he called on parliament on Tuesday to “maintain rationality”.
Nehammer was pleased that the EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday was about this. He also showed willingness to further tighten sanctions against Iran.
Nehammer assures “full solidarity” with Israel
The EU has clearly expressed its support for Israel and is determined to ensure that there is no further escalation. Nehammer further assured Israel of Austria’s “full solidarity.”
EU foreign ministers were expected to discuss sanctions against Iran on Tuesday evening, Nehammer continued. “It is clear that Iran’s attack is completely irresponsible,” the chancellor said. The region is therefore “one step further from the abyss”. The Iranian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) also spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart.
The situation is also threatening for Austria
The threat situation has increased significantly after the attack on Iran. The question now arises how to achieve a de-escalating effect. The situation is also threatening for Austria in several respects. On the one hand, an escalation could lead to the destabilization of the EU’s external borders, and on the other hand, an Austrian-Israeli hostage is still in the hands of the terrorist organization Hamas.
Numerous topics at the EU summit
The summit will also discuss the topics of competitiveness, EU-Turkey relations and Ukraine. The Chancellor spoke in favor of a pan-European industrial policy for the EU. The aim is to promote independence from fossil energy and implement a European location policy. Nehammer called for a reduction in reporting requirements to help reduce EU bureaucracy, including for agriculture.
Regarding Ukraine, Nehammer said Austria supports the planned peace conference in Switzerland. As far as Russia is concerned, it is important to further limit the possibilities for circumventing sanctions.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
