Ever since Israel came into being, its existence has been in jeopardy.

To this day, many of the country’s neighbours question its right to exist. Most brutally, most intolerably, Iran.

This is something we have to remember as we discuss the conflict between Iran and Israel today – the reason why Israel decided on a military attack against Iranian nuclear facilities, and what exactly it means when we reaffirm, rightly, that Israel’s security is part of Germany’s raison d’état.

The Iranian regime makes no secret of the fact that it wants to erase the State of Israel from the map – Iran, a country in Israel’s neighbourhood, a major military power in the Middle East, with a ballistic missile programme that is a danger to us even here in Europe, a regime without which Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis would not exist in this form.

That is why we have always made three things clear.

First of all, Iran must never possess nuclear weapons. It must stop deliberately destabilising the region via allied non‑state actors.

Secondly, Israel has the right to defend itself and protect its people. Let me say clearly that, if Israel and the US have now managed to set back the Iranian nuclear programme, it will make Israel and its neighbourhood more secure.

Thirdly, especially now, with a ceasefire in place since Tuesday, a ceasefire that so far is holding, our priority is to return to diplomacy. Because the conflict with Iran must not be allowed to plunge the entire region into crisis.

In the long term, we must ensure that Iran does not continue to pursue its nuclear programme. The Federal Government has, I have, worked intensively on this over recent days, engaging in crisis diplomacy round the clock.

That is why I travelled to Geneva last Friday with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and my colleagues from Paris and London to meet the Iranian Foreign Minister. Of course we thought carefully beforehand about whether we should open up this direct channel to Iran at this point – just as the US Special Envoy tried to start and to maintain a conversation with Iran.

We were and are convinced, as we have just discussed again on the fringes of the NATO summit, that this engagement for ultimately a diplomatic solution is worthwhile. And we will continue along this path, especially now, with the situation having changed.

Because even the most successful military operation will not create lasting security for Israel without robust agreements to permanently curb Iran’s nuclear programme.

Following the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran and the US intervention, we are now in a new situation. What we need now are channels of communication.

That is why I have made it very clear to Tehran: negotiate with the United States! Negotiate with us, the E3! Make credible offers soon so as to get out of this dangerous situation! That is the way out of this conflict now.

And I have stepped up our crisis diplomacy with our partners in the Gulf. These countries know how dangerous any further escalation of the conflict would certainly be – particularly Qatar, which gave a very measured response after the Iranian military attack and which has our full solidarity. Many of these partners are worried that Iran’s influence on its proxies is far from over and that it will cause further harm, that the region will remain unstable, perhaps even leading to a nuclear arms race throughout the Middle East.

Esteemed colleagues, this logic can now be pierced on the basis of the new situation, and that is why we must continue to work on a negotiated solution.

A solution that permanently limits Iran’s nuclear programme and brings long-term stability to the Middle East, that effectively controls the ballistic missile programme, puts an end to Iran’s incitement of its “Axis of Resistance”, and sees Iran abandon its unspeakable state goal of destroying Israel.

Iran must know that this is the way, the only way, it will find a peaceful place in the region.

I am very grateful to the Federal Chancellor for his clarity in this matter and in this crisis.

Esteemed colleagues, we should not forget that German nationals in Israel and Iran are among those affected by the fighting. Many people in Germany are worried about friends and relatives there.

Together with our crisis team at the Federal Foreign Office and the German embassies in the region, we are working very hard to help these people – with special flights out of Israel, with embassy staff at the border crossing points between Iran and Armenia and Azerbaijan to assist German nationals to cross the border. That, too, is part of our crisis diplomacy.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to all my colleagues from the Federal Foreign Office, as well as the colleagues from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Ministry of Defence, and the Bundeswehr soldiers who have carried out dangerous operations with great professionalism, but above all with great dedication, even at risk of life and limb.

We are very grateful to all members of staff in the various institutions and thank them for their engagement for the Federal Republic of Germany and for our nationals.

Esteemed colleagues, the Federal Government will continue to do whatever it can to help bring about an end to this conflict, to end the nuclear threat from Iran and to arrive at a negotiated solution.

Thank you very much.