The attack has been widely condemned around the world, and the parties are now being asked to show restraint.
Päivi Lakka,
STT-,
Yrjö Hjelt
Prime minister Petteri Orpo (coc.) calls for calm in the Middle East crisis so that the situation does not get any worse. According to him, the volatile situation can easily escalate now.
– Iran should stop its attacks and Israel should refrain from retaliating. Otherwise, this could get worse, Orpo says in an interview with .
Orpo estimates that there is now a really high risk of a major regional conflict in the Middle East.
– The situation is very vulnerable and sensitive. This was a completely pointless, eyeless blow. Now everything must be done to break the cycle of revenge so that this does not escalate. There is a risk here of a very large local and regional conflict that could have major implications.
According to Orpo, the effects on Finland are not direct, but there are too many conflicts in the world. They affect the operating environment in which Finland also exists.
– The international community must do everything it can – and Finland along with it – to break this cycle of revenge.
Foreign Minister Valtonen: Let’s hope that this will stop here
Foreign minister Elina Valtonen (co.) according to the situation between Iran and Israel is serious.
As part of the international community, Finland strives to do everything it can to ensure that no further actions are taken.
According to Valtonen, since the beginning of October there has been a growing concern that the situation in the Middle East might escalate and expand. Until now, the escalation has occurred within countries rather than between countries.
– This is the first time that Iran, as a state actor, has launched an attack, and we hope that this will really stop here, Valtonen says.
According to Valtonen, Finland now urges the parties to extreme consideration.
– In these strikes and counterstrikes, there is a greater risk of misjudgment, the bigger they grow.
He says that during the weekend he was in close contact with Finland’s partner and allied countries and their foreign ministers.
Valtonen emphasizes that state actors in particular have responsibility for the civilians in the region.
– This is now measured precisely by the fact that the parties would leave additional measures here. And they would rather try to stabilize and calm the situation in the region.
The attack was widely condemned around the world
Secretary General of the UN Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Iran’s large-scale attack on Israel in a statement. Guterres called the attacks a serious escalation and called for an immediate end to hostilities.
European Union foreign policy leader Josep Borrell also condemned Iran’s attacks on Israel. He described them as an unprecedented escalation.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemns the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s drone and missile strikes on Israel as “reckless”.
– These attacks threaten to inflame tensions and destabilize the region. Iran has once again shown that it intends to sow chaos in its own backyard, Sunak said in a statement.
Iran has warned the United States that it should stay out of the conflict between Iran and Israel, reports AFP. The United States has assured unwavering support for Israel.
Spokesman for the US National Security Council Adrienne Watson repeated the President Joe Biden “iron” support for Israel’s security.
– The United States stands by the people of Israel and supports its defense against the threat of Iran, he said in his statement. He said President Biden is being regularly briefed on the situation.
Story and title updated at 16:41 with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s comments.