The lead lawmaker of the European Parliament on Iran told Europe Today that she cannot support a war with an uncertain outcome, emphasizing that regime change cannot be achieved through «bombs alone» as Trump contradicts his own war timetable.
Hannah Neumann, chair of the European Parliament’s Iran delegation and a member of the German Greens, has expressed concern that US President Donald Trump is «risking the lives of 90 million Iranians» amid the escalating Middle East conflict.
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«Before initiating this war, Donald Trump assured assistance would be provided to the protesters,» Neumann noted, referring to the Iranian regime’s harsh suppression in January of demonstrators initially protesting a currency crisis and then expanding into broader political dissent.
On Monday, Trump declared he anticipates the war will conclude “very soon,” though he did not specify when, contradicting his earlier estimate that military actions would span four to five weeks. Additionally, his remarks about whether the conflict aims to overthrow the mullah regime entirely or prompt a Venezuela-style political shift have been inconsistent.
«It remains unclear what Trump’s actual objectives are or what strategy he plans to employ to achieve them,» she told Euronews. «He is gambling with the lives of 90 million Iranians and the entire region. I cannot back a war without a clear strategy, and the Iranian people undoubtedly deserve better.»
Highlighting the persistence of hardline elements, a council of clerical authorities has named Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s long-standing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as his successor. Trump has denounced this appointment as «unacceptable.»
Neumann stated the appointment «indicates continuity and increased repression,» emphasizing that «this is clearly not what the Iranian population hoped for,» while noting that regime change must originate internally through «a broad coalition of individuals both inside and outside Iran representing the nation’s diversity and capable of offering a new vision.»
«Such change cannot be achieved through bombs alone,» she added.
The European Union’s reaction to the conflict has so far been divided, with Spain and Slovenia standing apart by condemning the initial US-Israeli strikes on Tehran last week. Madrid labeled the operation illegal and escalatory.
Having collaborated closely for years with Iran’s pro-democracy groups, Neumann said the EU has a role to play in promoting a diplomatic resolution.
«We must indeed push for de-escalation. The first step is to collaborate with Gulf countries. This is not our war, yet we have to manage its aftermath,» she explained.
She called for EU efforts to reduce tensions not only toward Iran’s leadership but also directed at the US and Israel.
«The EU should cooperate with Gulf states to advocate de-escalation in dealings with Trump and Israel, helping them comprehend the stakes involved so that they clarify their objectives, enabling a constructive dialogue,» she said.
«The central question remains: how many of their own citizens and how much of the region they are dragging toward devastation.»