Germany and France issued a fresh appeal on Friday urging Iran to step back from the current wave of hostilities and re-engage in diplomatic talks, as fighting between Tehran and Washington continues to intensify following the collapse of an earlier ceasefire.

The renewed push comes amid what is now the sixth consecutive night of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian military targets, including air defense systems, coastal surveillance sites, and infrastructure tied to Iran’s presence near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with its own strikes across the region, and its Revolutionary Guard has claimed retaliatory attacks against U.S. positions, further straining an already fragile truce.

This is not the first time Berlin and Paris, often acting alongside London as part of the so-called European Troika, have called for de-escalation. Earlier in the conflict, the three governments jointly condemned Iranian strikes on neighboring countries including Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan, while pressing both Washington and Tehran to restore the ceasefire and resume negotiations.

European leaders have consistently framed their position as supporting a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear program and regional conduct, while stressing they were not party to the military operations carried out by the U.S. and Israel.

The latest appeal follows a period of cautious progress. A ceasefire and accompanying memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran had been reached in June, with European powers welcoming the deal and expressing willingness to ease certain sanctions in exchange for verifiable steps on Iran’s nuclear activities.

That fragile arrangement has since unraveled, with disputes over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s proposal to impose shipping tolls, and continuing military exchanges undermining efforts to stabilize the region.

For now, Germany and France appear to be betting that renewed diplomatic pressure, rather than further military escalation, offers the clearest path back to stability in a conflict that continues to threaten global shipping routes and regional security.