A spokesperson for the German government stated that "Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged the new Iranian President Massoud Bezhikian in a phone call today, Monday, to do everything possible to prevent further military escalation in the Middle East." The spokesperson quoted Scholz as telling Bezhikian that the cycle of violence in the Middle East must be halted now, as any other course would pose unforeseeable risks to the countries and peoples of the region.