And, Díaz added, Brussels should be pushing back hard against the “completely illegitimate” war in Iran, which the U.S. and Israel launched late last month, sparking turmoil in the Middle East as Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region.
Díaz took aim at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for not immediately moving to condemn the attack on Iran, and said she should speak out swiftly in defense of the same international law principles that can be found in the Charter of the United Nations.
“Europe must stand on the side of international law, human rights and democracy,” she said. “Given the times we’re living in, none of us can afford to remain silent.”
Her remarks echoed those of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has assumed the role of Europe’s chief Trump critic and has repeatedly denounced Washington’s “unjustified and dangerous military intervention” in Iran.
Díaz, who this week chided German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for paying “homage” to Trump, argued the EU’s stance toward the U.S. president could also have serious domestic consequences.
“The fact is that European citizens are against the illegitimate war in Iran,” she said. “By supporting it, the EU could end up increasing the Euroskeptic sentiment that often also fuels the growth of the far right.”