Arabic version: أوروبا تواجه تكاليف متصاعدة بسبب الحرب على إيران
According to Al Jazeera, Western European governments are increasingly calling for diplomacy as the US-Israeli war on Iran disrupts oil supplies and raises living costs before winter. Britain, France, Germany and Italy joined talks in Istanbul with Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt, where French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned that further escalation would bring serious consequences for hydrocarbon prices.
Britain, France and Germany did not condemn the opening attacks when they issued a joint statement on February 28, instead condemning Iranian retaliatory strikes and calling for negotiations. Nearly eight months later, European governments are more explicitly warning against another military campaign. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently opposed the campaign, describing it at this month’s European summit as “illegal, unjust and unjustified”.
European divisions have also emerged over military bases and airspace. Germany said it would not restrict US use of bases including Ramstein. Britain authorised US use of its bases for limited defensive strikes, later expanding permission to operations against missile sites and capabilities used to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. France allowed US support aircraft at Istres but later blocked a weapons flight to Israel, while Spain refused permission for attacks from Rota and Moron and closed its airspace to US aircraft involved in the war.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on October 16 that households and industry were paying for a war beyond Europe’s borders. She said the bill for imported fossil fuels had increased by 106 billion euros, gas prices had risen about 140 percent since late February, and diesel prices had doubled. Brent crude rose from $72.48 a barrel on February 27 to $126.41 at the end of April and remains above $100.
Higher prices have added to protests over living costs, housing, wages and public services across several European countries. Experts cited by Al Jazeera said the effects also extend to food, fertiliser and supply chains, as disruptions raise urea prices and shipping companies face higher insurance costs or longer routes.
