Urges De-escalation of Iran-Israel Tensions, EU Foreign Policy Head: We Are on the Edge of a Brink

Josep Borrell. (Twitter/@JosepBorellF)

JAKARTA - European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on Monday called for a de-escalation of Iran's conflict with Israel, saying the Middle East was on the brink.

"We are on the edge of a cliff and we have to stay away from it," Borrell told Spanish radio station Onda Cero, quoted by Reuters, April 15.

"We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear," he said.

Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday evening, in response to a suspected Israeli attack on Tehran's consulate in Damascus, Syria that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) officials, including two senior generals.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the April 1 airstrike on the consulate in the Syrian capital.

Borrell further said he expected a response from Israel to Iran's unprecedented airstrikes, but hoped it would not trigger further escalation.

He said there were "deep divisions" in Israel's right-wing governing coalition between hardliners seeking fierce retribution and "more moderate and reasonable" factions.

The faction advocates retaliatory measures, Borrell said, “but in a way that avoids responding to those responses.”

Borrell, who spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday evening, said the bloc needed to have the best relations with Iran despite sanctions imposed by them on Tehran over its nuclear energy program and other issues.

"It is in everyone's interest that Iran not become a nuclear power and that the Middle East be calm," he stressed.