World News for Students of English

24-06-2025 15:00

European leaders responded to the US airstrikes on Iran with calls for diplomacy and restraint.

Most supported preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons but were not fully supportive of the strikes. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asked Iran to return to talks, saying diplomacy is the only way to bring peace. Leaders of Estonia and Portugal also warned about further violence and stressed the need for respect for international law.

Germany and the UK asked for calm responses and offered no clear support for the US action. Finland’s president warned against a cycle of revenge and said real peace must come from negotiations. Italy held a video meeting with top officials and said it would keep working to bring all parties to talks.

France kept a more distant tone. Its foreign minister said France was not part of the strike plan and pushed for solutions under the nuclear treaty. President Macron called several Middle East leaders and urged Iran to show restraint.

Difficult words: restraint (control of actions or emotions), revenge (hurting someone in return for what they have done to someone else).

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