Scholz urges Iran to prevent military escalation in the Middle East

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday appealed to new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to prevent further military escalation in the Middle East.

"The spiral of violence in the Middle East must now be broken; anything else would pose an incalculable risk to the countries and people in the region," Scholz told Pezeshkian according to a statement from the Chancellery.

Scholz spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the weekend and also expressed concern about the danger of a regional war in the Middle East.

In his phone call with Pezeshkian, Scholz emphasized the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages held by Hamas. "This would be an important contribution to regional de-escalation," Scholz is said to have told the Iranian leader.

Fears of an all-out regional war have grown following the targeted killings of two leading figures, one from the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the other from the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah militia.

Iran and Hezbollah announced they would undertake massive retaliatory strikes against Israel in response to the killings. The Israeli armed forces have been on high alert for days.

The United States, Israel's most important ally, has brought additional warships and fighter jets to the region, further strengthening its presence there.