Hannah Neumann, member of the European Parliament, speaks to Rudaw in an interview on March 11, 2026. Photo: Screengrab/Rudaw
STRASBOURG, France - European Parliament Member Hannah Neumann warned that the campaign by the US and Israel against Iran, and Tehran’s response risks further destabilizing the region and harming civilians, calling for urgent de-escalation and a clearer strategy from Western leaders.
In a Wednesday interview with Rudaw's Zinar Shino, Neumann, chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iran, criticized the shifting objectives laid out by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the war.
“You see Donald Trump but also [Benjamin] Netanyahu - they have vastly different objectives for this war, and at times they even contradict themselves,” Neumann said, noting that their goals seem to swing between regime change, missile program and nuclear negotiations.
Expressing concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure, Neumann warned that the conflict is rapidly escalating and that Gulf Arab partners are coming under mounting pressure from Iran. “They are being targeted by the Iranians in attacks on US facilities as well as on civilian infrastructure in the Gulf,” she said.
The lawmaker also warned that the conflict could affect Europe, driving up energy costs and disrupting global shipping, particularly due to the disruption of trade through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
“In the medium and long term, this will impact all of us, because much of the production is tied to energy,” she noted.
Addressing Iranian officials, Neumann issued a stark appeal, urging them to “defect, choose Iran over ideology, and end this madness once and for all, because this regime is politically, economically and morally bankrupt,’” she said.
She added that any future political transition in Iran must be inclusive, with participation from minority groups and broader segments of society.
Zinar Shino contributed to this article from Strasbourg, France
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