Leaders of Group of Seven (G7) nations meeting in Canada on Monday issued a joint statement declaring that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” while calling for immediate de-escalation across the Middle East.The statement comes days after Israel conducted its Operation Rising Lion to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities.In the joint statement, the G7 reaffirmed its stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and voiced support for Israel’s right to self-defence.“We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself,” the statement said. “We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”The leaders urged that the resolution of the Iranian crisis be part of a broader effort to calm the region. “We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement continued.The summit was significantly disrupted by escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, which have taken center stage since Israel began bombing Iranian military and nuclear targets four days ago.Amid these developments, US President Donald Trump abruptly left the summit on Monday, a day earlier than scheduled. Speaking before his departure, Trump issued a sharp warning to Tehran.“They have to make a deal,” he said, referring to Iran’s failure to reach an agreement on curbing its nuclear ambitions within a 60-day window before the Israeli strikes began.Trump specified the urgency of the situation, saying, “Tehran should be evacuated immediately,” and added that Iran’s leaders would “like to talk” but time was running out.When pressed on what would prompt direct US military involvement in the conflict, Trump declined to provide specifics. “I don’t want to talk about that,” he said Monday morning.Despite Israel’s offensive targeting multiple Iranian nuclear sites, officials have confirmed that the Fordo uranium enrichment facility remains intact — a key concern for both Western powers and regional allies.
