EU chiefs, Mideast leaders to hold talks Monday, urged Iran to end attacks

BRUSSELS, Mar 6: EU chiefs will hold talks with Middle East leaders by video-link on Monday on the war in the region, a spokesperson for the European Council president said.

"This exchange will provide an opportunity to hear leaders' assessments of the situation and to discuss further support from the EU and its member states to countries in the region, as well as ways to bring the current conflict to an end," the spokesperson said in a statement Friday.

The spokesperson did not provide details of which Middle East leaders will take part in the meeting with European Council president Antonio Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Earlier, EU and Gulf ministers called following crisis talks Thursday for Iran to immediately end "indiscriminate" attacks across the region in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, warning global security was at stake.

The foreign ministers met by video link as Iran stepped up attacks on countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman all now targeted.

"The ministers strongly condemned the unjustifiable Iranian attacks against the GCC countries which threaten regional and global security and called on Iran to cease immediately its attacks," said a joint statement issued afterwards.    �"AFP