Report: EU Summit Focus Shifts from Stagnant Economy to Iran Issues

Moscow (ANTARA) - The impact of the United States (US) and Israeli invasion of Iran will be the main focus at this week’s European Union (EU) Summit, shifting from the initial focus on the bloc’s stagnant economic conditions, according to a Financial Times report on Thursday (19/3), citing a senior European official.

“This is no longer a summit about long-term structural economic changes … We are holding an emergency summit on the Iran crisis,” a European official said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

The long-planned summit was previously aimed at formulating measures to revive the European Union’s stagnant economy, according to the report.

Divisions in the European Union’s foreign policy are reportedly worsening, citing an unnamed member state foreign minister.

“Every new geopolitical crisis is gradually dividing us … and making it increasingly clear that we cannot act as a united bloc,” the minister said.

On 28 February, the US and Israel launched attacks on several targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East in self-defence.

The US and Israel initially stated that the invasion was necessary to counter the perceived threat from Iran’s nuclear programme, but later affirmed that they wanted a change of power in Iran.