Belgium is preparing for potential repatriation missions and providing military support in the conflict region, according to Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA).
Francken, speaking on Dutch-speaking public media VRT, pointed out the importance of EU solidarity if Cyprus faces threats from Hezbollah, including drone and weapon attacks.
He described it as logical for other EU Member States to assist, as Iranian drones struck a British air base in Cyprus.
So far, no formal request for Belgian help has been made, Francken said. Large EU nations such as the UK, France and Greece are already deploying warships and air defence to Cyprus. Belgium is assessing whether its support may be needed.
The minister also said that Belgium is reviewing possibilities for engagement with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, countries with strong existing ties to Belgium.
No specific requests for assistance have yet been received from these nations, but the situation remains under evaluation.
Earlier in the evening, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) echoed a similar stance, urging vigilance as Gulf nations might seek support from European countries in the coming days.
Rousseau reject military role
Vooruit leader Conner Rousseau believes that Belgium should not currently play an offensive role in the war in Iran and the region. The parties in the governing coalition "were not elected to work together to ensure world peace", the Flemish socialist said on Radio 1 (VRT) on Wednesday.
Conner Rousseau was interviewed following comments made on Tuesday evening by Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) on the programme De Afspraak (VRT).
According to Francken, the Ministry of Defence is preparing for possible military support in the conflict region. However, no concrete request has yet been made by either country.
The minister mentioned support for Cyprus, an EU Member State where an Iranian drone has already struck a British base. But according to him, Belgium is also considering supporting countries such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
For Conner Rousseau, Belgium must show solidarity with Cyprus. It could even play a role in a possible peace mission. However, in his view, it would be preferable for the Defence Ministry to refrain from military intervention in Iran or from taking offensive action.
Vooruit's leader Conner Rousseau. Credit: Belga/Jonas Roosens
According to him, the Americans are acting in Iran "for the wrong reasons," namely, oil, and to try to divert attention from domestic issues. Israel, for its part, has ‘genocide on its conscience’ and therefore ‘can in no way be an ally in protecting human rights in another country’, according to the Vooruit president.
He also believes that the government has its own problems to deal with: "helping more people find jobs, reducing the labour burden, increasing the contribution of the wealthy: we are working very hard on this. We were not elected by the people to work together to ensure world peace."
For Conner Rousseau, Europe must learn from this conflict. "Every time Trump drops a bomb on an oil-producing country, oil and gas prices rise (...) More than ever, we need to invest in a more independent, greener and stronger economy."
If energy prices rise sharply in the coming days and weeks, Conner Rousseau wants the government to intervene, for example, by using the ‘reverse ratchet’ system as it did during the 2022 energy crisis. "Several options are possible."
