German, Qatari leaders emphasize diplomatic path in Iran-Israel conflict

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held a phone call Thursday and discussed diplomatic efforts amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

"The chancellor expressed his deep concern about Iran's nuclear program, which threatens the security and stability of the region," German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said in a statement after the phone call.

"Both agreed that the conflict must not be allowed to spread to other countries in the region. They emphasized the need to maintain space for diplomatic efforts," he added.

During the call, Merz informed the emir of ongoing diplomatic talks and a scheduled meeting in Geneva on Friday between the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and the UK with their Iranian counterpart, the spokesman said.

The two leaders also underscored the urgency of achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations between Germany and Qatar.