Fact Check: The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom urged Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, not to escalate the conflict during a joint phone call on June 8, 2018.

Fact Check: "The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom urged Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, not to escalate the conflict during a joint phone call on June 8, 2018."

What We Know

On June 16, 2025, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom held a joint call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. During this call, they urged Iran to return to diplomatic negotiations and emphasized the need for de-escalation in the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel (source-1, source-5). The ministers expressed concern over the escalating conflict and the potential for further military actions that could destabilize the region (source-7).

Analysis

The claim states that the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom urged Iran's foreign minister not to escalate the conflict during a phone call on June 8, 2018. However, the sources indicate that the joint call actually took place on June 16, 2025, not in 2018. The ministers did indeed call for restraint and emphasized the importance of returning to negotiations without preconditions, which aligns with the essence of the claim but not the specific date (source-1, source-5, source-7).

The reliability of the sources is strong, as they include official government statements and reputable news outlets. The call for de-escalation is a consistent theme in diplomatic communications regarding Iran, particularly in the context of its nuclear program and regional military activities. The urgency expressed by the foreign ministers reflects a broader concern about the implications of military escalation in the Middle East, which has been a long-standing issue (source-1, source-4).

Conclusion

The claim is True in the context of the content discussed during the call, but it inaccurately cites the date as June 8, 2018, instead of June 16, 2025. The essence of the ministers urging Iran's foreign minister not to escalate the conflict is accurate, as they did emphasize the need for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.

Sources

1. Iran-Israel conflict: Foreign Secretary statement
2. June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran - Wikipedia
3. Iran's new FM urges dialogue with EU, claims 'right' to retaliate for ...
4. France, Britain and Germany urge Iran: 'Return to ...
5. France, UK and Germany Press Iran to Resume Talks Without Preconditions ...
6. Araghchi Urges Europe to Condemn Israeli Aggression in ...