Middle East Nations Worry About Iranian Civil War Risk, EU Foreign Chief Says

Middle Eastern countries have told European officials they fear a civil war could erupt in Iran as the conflict between Tehran and the United States and Israel intensifies, EU foreign chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday.

“When we talk to the countries in the region, they are also worried about civil wars inside Iran because of the regime’s leadership and what is going on there,” Kallas said ahead of a video conference with EU foreign ministers and representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The European Union wants to advance a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

“Wars really end in diplomacy, and there has to be room for diplomacy here to really get out of this cycle of escalation,” Kallas told reporters.

Naija News gathered that the EU remains “extremely worried” about maritime security in the region and is working to keep routes such as the Strait of Hormuz open, Kallas said.

She noted that, since the EU does not depend on oil from Gulf states, the attacks there have not had a large short-term impact on oil supply security for the European Union.

US-Spain Dispute Escalates Over Iran Offensive

In separate news, the conflict has escalated a dispute between the United States and Spain, with Washington threatening to cut trade with Madrid over Spain’s refusal to allow American aircraft to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for the offensive against Tehran.

Spain has condemned the US and Israeli bombings of Iran as reckless and illegal. However, the White House said on Wednesday that Spain has agreed to cooperate, but Madrid has denied this claim.

Meanwhile, regarding the disagreement between Washington and Madrid and its potential impact on the EU States, reporters asked Kallas how it might play out. She said she hoped Washington would respect the trade agreement reached last year that applies to all EU member states.

The EU foreign policy chief’s comments highlight growing international concern about the broader regional implications of the conflict, particularly the risk of internal instability in Iran that could further destabilise the Middle East.

Gulf nations, which share maritime borders and economic ties with Iran, have particular reason to worry about any collapse of order in Tehran that could trigger refugee flows, economic disruption or spillover violence across the region.