The Tánaiste has stated that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel is marked by “a real fragility”, reports Breaking News.
Simon Harris noted that a pause in hostilities creates space for diplomatic efforts and dialogue.
Yet, only hours after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Iran of having “completely violated” the terms by launching missile attacks following the agreement’s implementation, reports Breaking News.
As a result, the defence minister directed Israeli forces to resume strikes on Iranian government and paramilitary positions.
While speaking in Dublin on Tuesday, Mr Harris said that any move aimed at reducing tensions is a positive step, reports Breaking News.
His remarks followed his return from a Brussels meeting with EU foreign affairs ministers, where they addressed the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Mr Harris said: “We’ve been very clear at an Irish level and at a European level that the only way you bring safety and security to the region is through diplomacy, through dialogue and through de-escalation. Yesterday, when we had very extensive discussions in Brussels on this matter, we’re very clear that Europe is ready to play a role in trying to help create that space for that sustained diplomacy. So we need to see regional stability, and we need to now see the ceasefire underpinned by sustained diplomacy. I think we obviously have to welcome the fact that there is a temporary ceasefire in place. That is a good thing. A cessation of violence, of hostilities, to allow space for diplomacy and dialogue is a good thing. But of course, there’s a real fragility to this. At the moment, we have agreement for a temporary ceasefire. We hope that that turns into a permanent ceasefire, but that’s what’s in place at the moment,” reports Breaking News.
“I think what’s really important now, and there isn’t an hour to lose in relation to this, is that it is underpinned by that sustained diplomacy. And I certainly know from my engagement with the Jordanians, with the Saudis, with the Egyptians, with the Qataris yesterday, there’s a real desire for that in the region. I know from extensive engagement at a European level, we believe Europe can play a very helpful role in relation to this. I would make the point that I made in Brussels yesterday, nobody wants to see Iran with nuclear weapons, but actually, the greatest progress that’s ever been achieved in terms of keeping Iran away from nuclear weapons has been done through diplomacy, not through military aggression, and we need to get back to that dialogue now,” he added, reports Breaking News.
Mr Harris stated that he will hold a meeting with all ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from Middle Eastern nations on Tuesday afternoon.
“I want to get from them the very latest information on the ground in terms of our own Irish citizens, the presence of Irish people in the region. The travel advice we put in place last night remains in place until it’s updated. But we, obviously, as you can imagine, at this time, a great volatility, are reviewing, revising and monitoring that travel advice on an ongoing basis.” he added, reports Breaking News.
