EU Council chief says Iranian people's freedom, rights cannot be achieved 'through bombs'

BRUSSELS

European Council President Antonio Costa said Tuesday that freedom and human rights for the Iranian people cannot be achieved through bombs, stressing that international law must remain the foundation for protecting fundamental rights.

Speaking at the EU Ambassadors' Conference in Brussels, Costa said the EU stands with the "long-suffering people of Iran" and supports their right to determine their own future.

"We believe that human rights and freedoms must be fully respected, but freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs. Only international law upholds them," he said.

Addressing the broader situation in the Middle East, Costa called for restraint and warned against further escalation, saying protecting civilians and ensuring nuclear safety are critical.

Costa also pointed to the global implications of the conflict, noting that disruptions such as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could have severe economic effects.

"So far, there is only one winner in this war: Russia. It gains new resources to finance its war against Ukraine as energy prices rise," he said.

"It profits from the diversion of military capabilities that could otherwise have been sent to support Ukraine, and it benefits from the reduced attention to the Ukrainian front as the conflict in the Middle East takes center stage," Costa added.

'US challenges international rules-based order'

Costa said the EU must actively work with the international community to uphold the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and international law.

"It is in our interest to ensure that the world remains rules-based and cooperative. It is in our interest to avoid further world fragmentation," he stressed.

He warned that the emerging multipolar world requires multilateral solutions rather than spheres of influence where power politics replace international law.

"We know the new reality," he said. "A reality in which Russia violates peace, China disrupts trade, and the United States challenges the international rules-based order."

Costa also acknowledged that the EU sometimes struggles to react quickly to crises but said the bloc must learn from past experience.

"I recognize how challenging it can sometimes be to reach a timely united position. However, we should have learned valuable lessons, like the need to respond quickly to urgent situations, as we saw with Gaza," he said.