Brussels, June 13th, 2025 – European Coalition for Israel joins world leaders in reaffirming Israel’s right to protect itself from the Islamic Republic of Iran which is on the threshold of acquiring nuclear capabilities after the Israel Defense Forces launched widespread strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran on Friday morning. The attack came after the nuclear talks between Iran and the US had stranded and Iran edges closer to nuclear breakout capabilities.

Issuing his first statement after the attack on Friday morning US President Donald Trump said that “Iran must make a deal before there is nothing left.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the US was not involved in the strike but did not rule out that the US could end up defending Israel against Iran’s retaliation.

Writing on X on Friday French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and noted that France has repeatedly condemned Iran’s ongoing nuclear program and has taken all appropriate diplomatic measures in response. Also Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed in a statement Israel’s right to defend itself against an existential threat to the security of its citizens while calling upon both parties to de-escalate.

Speaking to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on Friday afternoon Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar updated her on the IDF operation to curb Iran’s nuclear program and long-range missile project. He reminded the High Representative that Iran’s long-range missiles also endanger major capitals in Europe.

Meanwhile Iranian opposition leaders have called upon the Islamic regime to step down. Writing on X opposition leader Reza Pahlavi urged the military, police, and security forces to break from the regime and join the people. He went on to call upon the international community not to throw another lifeline to the dying terrorist regime. “That is what the Iranian people are asking and this is in the best interest of peace”, he said.

Joining his voice to the many leaders who call on Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions ECI Founding Director Tomas Sandell said on Friday that “this is not an attack on the Iranian people but the Islamic Republic which has terrorized its people for more than 45 years and has continued to radicalise and destabilise the whole region. Its leadership has made no secret of its ambition to annihilate the Jewish state but its long-range missiles also pose a concrete threat to all Europeans. By being determined to remove Iran’s nuclear threat once and for all, Israel is doing the whole world an immense favour and should be commended and fully supported.”