Near and Middle East
As Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the People of Iran and a Member of the Delegations for Relations to Afghanistan, Irak and the Arab Peninsula (substitute), I often travel to the Near and Middle East. Talking to those in power there is often a balancing act. We need to exchange with them, for example, to organise humanitarian aid or to fight the climate crisis. But it is just as important to clearly name those who commit human rights violations, to support civil society on the ground and to show solidarity with those who stand up for democracy and human rights, even when faced with tough opposition. For me, one thing is clear: a values-driven foreign policy tries to do justice to these different goals as best as it can.
And in doing so, we must not omit another issue: Worldwide, most military equipment is exported to the Near and Middle East. If you need proof that more weapons do not lead to more peace and security, countries like Yemen, Syria or Afghanistan are the best examples. In this context, we must critically rethink our own export policy.
The EU has sent a clear message to Tehran: the systematic persecution of minorities, especially the Bahá’Ã, must end immediately. As the initiator for the Greens in the European Parliament, I stand firmly with those affected and demand concrete consequences.
We cannot fully rely on Trump to achieve a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine. In the European Parliament, we debated what role Europe should play.
The EU has reimposed its sanctions on Iran – a long-overdue step. But the regime continues to terrorize its own people and seeks its future not in peace, but in new alliances of oppression.
After the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan, the European Parliament debated the country’s humanitarian situation. This is not merely the result of a natural disaster — it is the outcome of deliberate oppression by the Taliban.
Families in Israel are mourning the victims of October 7, while hostages are still living through hell in captivity. Families in Gaza have no time to mourn, as new bombs keep falling, and settlers terrorize people in the West Bank. All our energy must be focused on ending this violence.
The Woman, Life, Freedom movement rightly received the Sakharov Prize in 2023. But awarding prizes is not enough – we need to act decisively.
Die Bewegung Frau, Leben, Freiheit hat gezeigt, wie unaufhaltsam Hoffnung, Träume und Widerstandskraft sein können. Damit dieser Geist weiterlebt, haben wir eine digitale Plattform gestartet, die Visionen für #OurFreeIran vereint.
The Israeli government keeps escalating its actions in Gaza. The EU must respond and draw consequences. In Parliament, with our first resolution in a long time, we made it clear: we support Ursula von der Leyen’s initiatives from the State of the Union — but we need to go further.
More than 700,000 Afghans have already been deported from Iran in 2025 – many of them without documents, without protection, directly into the hands of the Taliban. A violation of international law.
Assad may be gone, but the hatred and division from his time persist. Syria is far from safe.
People in Iran, Israel, and Palestine are not collateral damage of geopolitics – they are the path to peace. Our foreign policy must focus on them.
The cycle of violence in the Middle East is escalating. What’s happening, what role Europe must play now, and what lies ahead.