Iran and Israel are trying to downplay Israeli retaliation overnight. Therein lies an opportunity for diplomacy. And for Europe, as the former EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Andreas Reinicke, said in the ‘Krone’ interview.
Shortly after 5 a.m. local time, explosions began to be heard in the strategically important city of Isfahan. The Israeli counterattack to last weekend’s Iranian attack had begun. Iran’s FARS news agency reported that three explosions were heard near an army base in the city of Isfahan. Major facilities for Iran’s defense industry are located in Isfahan. The country’s largest nuclear research center is also located in the cultural city. According to Iranian reports, there was no damage; Iranian air defenses had shot down drones – not missiles. The nuclear installations were also not damaged, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced in Vienna.
What happened next was remarkable in several respects: it took a relatively long time for Iran to make an official statement about the incidents. And: Unlike usual, Israel was not immediately blamed for this. It is not yet known who launched the drones and therefore no retaliation is planned.
“Change in tonality”
The day before, Iran’s ambassador to the UN threatened to change national nuclear doctrine if Israel counterattacked. “There was a change in tone,” Andreas Reinicke, former German ambassador to the region and former EU special representative for the Middle East peace process, told “Krone”.
“Everything indicates that they want to shut down the situation. In Israel there is no big news about the victory, in Iran the attack was just a short note in the media,” says Reinicke. Postscript: “If Iran wanted to, it could turn it into a big theater right now.” After all, Friday was also the 85th birthday of the spiritual and secular leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In any case, the signs point to de-escalation. And we are facing a turning point in diplomacy in the Middle East. Longtime Middle East diplomat Andreas Reinicke believes the time has come to return to politics and diplomacy. “By that I don’t mean sanctions. “But that we now sit down and develop a system of collective security for the Middle East,” says Reinicke. Comparable to the OSCE in Europe in the 1970s.
“Until now there has simply been a lack of courage”
“The time was far from ripe for that. But no one in the region wants a wildfire. Now everyone has seen how dangerous the situation can become. I think the conditions for building such a system of collective security are better than ever before.” However, this would require a solution to the Palestinian conflict. Reinicke also sees this as an opportunity for Europe to take up the issue. “Europe always says we can’t do anything. But that is not true. So far we haven’t had the courage to do that.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
