G7 says Israel has ‘right to defend itself’, calls Iran principal source of regional instability

The Group of Seven countries on Tuesday said that Israel has the “right to defend” itself and described Iran as the principal source of regional instability and terror.

They added that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon”.

The G7, an informal grouping of advanced economies, comprises France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. The annual summit of G7 leaders is being held in Kananaskis, Canada.

The summit this year comes amid the latest round of the conflict between Israel and Iran that started on Friday when the Israeli military struck what it claimed were nuclear targets and also on other sites in Iran with an aim of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme.