Donald Trump said Friday that European powers would not be able to help end the Iran-Israel war, after British, German, French and EU top diplomats met Iran’s foreign minister in Geneva.
“Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this,” the US president told reporters as he arrived in Morristown, New Jersey.
The Europeans put out a statement late on Friday urging both Iran and Israel to find a negotiated solution to their war.
According to the statement, “[The European diplomats] shared their support for discussions to continue and welcomed ongoing US efforts to seek a negotiated solution. They expressed their willingness to meet again in the future.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, said de-escalation was contingent on Israel ceasing its attacks.
“Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once the aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed… We support the continuation of discussion with” Britain, France, Germany and the European Union “and express our readiness to meet again in the near future,” Araghchi told reporters following the talks at a Geneva hotel.