Iran accuses EU's von der Leyen of standing on 'wrong side of history'

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei sharply criticised EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas, accusing them of hypocrisy and double standards over their stance on the escalating conflict in West Asia.

Iran Accuses EU of 'Hypocrisy and Double Standards'

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Tuesday sharply criticised European leaders, accusing them of hypocrisy and double standards over their stance on the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Baghaei's remarks came in response to statements by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas regarding the regional situation.

In a post on X, Baghaei slammed Von der Leyen, accusing her of always being on the "wrong side of history". "Please spare the hypocrisy. You've made a career out of standing on the wrong side of history--green-lighting occupation, genocide, and atrocities, and now laundering U.S./Israeli crime of aggression and war crimes against Iranians," the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated.

He further questioned the EU's response to attacks inside Iran, referring to the deaths of children in the city of Minab due to alleged US strikes. "Where was your voice when more than 165 innocent IRANIAN little angels were massacred in the city of #Minab? Why don't you say anything when hospitals, historical sites, oil facilities, diplomatic police headquarters, firefighting stations and residential neighborhoods are wickedly targeted? Silence in the face of lawlessness and atrocity is nothing less than complicity," Baghaei added.

EU's Warning on Regional Instability

The Iranian spokesperson's statement came after von der Leyen, speaking at the EU Ambassadors' Conference, said that the people of Iran "deserve freedom, dignity, and the right to decide their own future", while warning that the ongoing war could lead to broader regional instability. Von der Leyen also noted that British military bases in Cyprus had been targeted amid the escalating tensions and reaffirmed the European Union's solidarity with Cyprus.

Clash Over Israel's 'Right to Self-Defence'

The spokesperson also criticised remarks by Kaja Kallas regarding the situation in Lebanon and Israel, where she had said Israel has the right to self-defence under international law but called its response "heavy-handed", warning that the escalation risks drawing Lebanon deeper into the conflict. "Lebanon risks becoming another front in the war with Iran. Hezbollah's decision to attack Israel in support of Iran endangers the entire region and adds a deadly dimension. Israel has the right to self-defence in line with international law," Kallas stated in her statement.

Responding in a separate post on X, Baghaei wrote, "This is hypocrisy and double standards at their absolute finest. When Israel was committing genocide in #Gaza, massacring thousands in Lebanon, attacking multiple countries, and repeatedly violating ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon, the EU chose indifference--while some of its members kept sending weapons to the occupying power."

He added that European officials cannot claim to speak for European citizens who, according to him, have been increasingly critical of Israel's actions in the region. "You do not get to speak on behalf of European nations whose people are loudly condemning Israel's crimes," Baghaei added.

The exchange comes amid escalating tensions across West Asia, with the US, Israel and Iran involved and growing concerns about the risk of a wider regional conflict. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)