G7 says Israel has ‘right to defend itself’, calls Iran principal source of regional instability
The Group of Seven countries on Tuesday said that Israel has the “right to defend” itself and described Iran as the principal source of regional instability and terror.
They added that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon”.
The G7, an informal grouping of advanced economies, comprises France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. The annual summit of G7 leaders is being held in Kananaskis, Canada.
The summit this year comes amid the latest round of the conflict between Israel and Iran that started on Friday when the Israeli military struck what it claimed were nuclear targets and also on other sites in Iran with an aim of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The attacks have led to concerns of an escalation and a wider conflict in the region.
In a statement on Tuesday, the leaders of the G7 countries reiterated their commitment to peace and stability in West Asia. “In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself,” the countries said. “We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.”
The statement said that the G7 grouping had been “consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon”. It further urged that the resolution of the crisis should lead to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in...
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