Phone Call Between German and Iranian Foreign Ministers; Baerbock Calls for 'Maximum Restraint' from All Parties

Annalena Baerbock, the German Foreign Minister, on Thursday, April 23, spoke on the phone with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, calling for 'maximum restraint' from all parties and avoidance of escalating tensions. The German Foreign Ministry stated in a post on 'X': 'Preventing further escalation of regional tensions is in everyone's interest. We urge all actors in the region to act with maximum responsible restraint.' Lufthansa Airlines announced on Thursday, April 23, to the Persian section of Voice of America that after careful assessment, it has extended the suspension of its flights to and from Tehran until Sunday, April 26. The German flag carrier stated in a special correspondence with the Persian section of Voice of America that the priority of passengers and crew is always its main concern. Lufthansa further added that it does not solely rely on government assessments but also evaluates the current security situation before making decisions. Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa that operates flights from Vienna to Tehran six times a week, also announced that it is planning to operate its flight on Thursday but is adjusting its schedule to avoid an overnight stop in Tehran. A spokesperson for the airline said: 'The Austrian Airlines flight to Tehran scheduled for today will take place, but to minimize the time spent in Tehran, it will depart from Vienna with a few hours delay.' Following the airstrike on April 2 against the Islamic Republic's consulate building in Damascus, Syria, which resulted in the deaths of at least six IRGC commanders, Tehran has threatened retaliation; a threat that has escalated tensions in the Middle East. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated on Wednesday that Israel must be punished for the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and that it will be punished. Israel Katz, the Israeli Foreign Minister, also warned in response that if the Islamic Republic attacks Israel from its territory, Israel will respond with an attack on Iranian soil. After the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force in January 2020, and the IRGC's missile attack on U.S. bases in Iraq, the PS752 flight of Ukrainian Airlines was shot down by IRGC missiles, killing all on board. This tragedy has led airlines to adopt special safety and security measures when tensions in the region rise beyond a certain level. Lufthansa stated to Voice of America: 'We make daily decisions regarding the continuation of flight suspensions to Iran.' The Middle East is at risk of 'crisis expansion'; the U.S. message to the Islamic Republic through Arab allies: avoid escalating tensions with Israel. The U.S. has blacklisted several Chinese and Russian entities due to their connections with the Islamic Republic's drone program. Blog | Israel warns the people of Lebanon: we will confront Hezbollah's continued escalation of tensions with full force. Lufthansa of Germany to Voice of America: due to 'the current regional conditions,' flights from and to Iran have been temporarily canceled. The CENTCOM commander is on the verge of a trip to Israel; the potential attack by the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups on Israel is the focus of discussions.