The cycle of violence in the Middle East continues to escalate. Israel has attacked Iran, driven by concerns that the regime is close to acquiring a nuclear bomb. For Israel, that would be an existential threat. Tehran, on the other hand, insists its nuclear program serves only civilian purposes and has responded with military force. And while the world’s attention is fixed on the escalation between Iran and Israel, the suffering in Gaza is disappearing from the headlines.
This crisis is not new. It’s the result of years of failure. Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal without a viable alternative. The Iranian regime subsequently expanded its program. And the EU? Its diplomats were repeatedly strung along by Tehran. That needs to change. Europe’s diplomatic channels to the region must be buzzing now. More on this in my comment for the Spiegel live ticker and my interview with Phoenix.
Meine Rede:
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More InformationThe EU must take responsibility now
The Iranian regime is weakened. Europe must act now—to prevent further escalation, to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb, and to support those fighting for a democratic Iran.
More in my i interview with Deutsche Welle:
You’ll find more background in our webinar with Dr. Ali Fathollah-Nejad and Bauke Baumann from June 16, 2025.
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More InformationA regime change in Iran must come from within
Amid all the geopolitical developments, we must not forget: millions of civilians in Iran are suffering—under the Islamic regime and from the war with Israel. The window for a free Iran is more open now than it has been in a long time. But regime change can only come from within. And war does not help. Those fleeing bombs have no time to overthrow their government. More in my interview with CNBC.
Those who only see the geopolitical power struggle must not forget: this is about the lives of millions. People seeking shelter in bunkers in Israel, struggling to survive in Gaza, and being attacked from both sides in Iran—by Israel and by their own regime.
A regime that invests in nuclear technology, but not in shelters for its people. A regime that brutally represses its own population and leaves them defenseless against Israeli attacks. A regime that uses war to intensify repression. More in my interview with Frankfurter Rundschau.
