Speaking to "Esimene stuudio," Vseviov said: "This is a war — there's no doubt about it. Wars create worries because they are uncertain and unpredictable - we never know for sure how a war will unfold and, more importantly, how it will end. It is the end of a war which shapes the future. Not only why it began or what happened during it. At the start of a war, no one knows how it will end — if they did, wars would not happen."

The already fragile situation in the region is concerning, with the added risk of escalation.

"It is concerning that in such a volatile region as the Middle East, entangled in multifaceted crises, what we now have is something that can be clearly called a war. We are, of course, also concerned that escalation could continue — it could spread both horizontally and vertically, pull in other states, intensify, and we are concerned about what will become of Middle East security in the long term. Here there is no doubt that Iran has not only supported but also caused much of this instability in the region, but the new order that follows the end of the war must ensure security for the whole region more solidly and convincingly than the previous one. Whether that will be achieved, no one knows," the foreign ministry secretary general went on.

Vseviov also noted Israeli citizens are continuing their lives surprisingly calmly amid Iran's missile strikes.

"Of course, for Israel, the destruction and casualties are significant, but in terms of major global wars, the country has not ceased to function. This country is accustomed and prepared, not only militarily, but also in terms of civil defense. The last I heard, society is starting to regain a certain rhythm. A rhythm that always gets disrupted during major shocks is beginning to re-emerge, and I have been assured that Israeli society is highly confident. There is a spirit of unity, which is always a very important resource for a country at war," Vseviov continued.

This is the case even to the extent that Russia is concerned, with regard to the military capabilities Israel has so far demonstrated compared with the more Russian-aligned Iran, and in comparison with Russia's invasion of Ukraine from February 2022, which stalled, and failed to take Kyiv.

"The Kremlin is certainly concerned. No state wants a situation where another state aircraft can operate in its airspace almost unmolested. Russia was unable to achieve anything like that in the early days of the war in Ukraine. But even here, it's not worth drawing final conclusions before the war is over. Only then, in the peace that ensues, can we assess who really won and lost," said Vseviov.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are cooperating to evacuate their citizens from Israel.

Vseviov urged all Estonian citizens in Israel who have not already done so to make themselves known.

"I definitely urge them to get in touch – we are ready to help. There are various ways to leave Israel, but not very many. It's always better to let us know. Right now, it is not safe to be in Israel or in the Middle East more widely," he said, adding that so far as he is aware, all those who wanted to leave Israel have done so or are in the process of doing so.

So far as the ministry is aware, there are currently no Estonian citizens in Iran, though this cannot be guaranteed with 100 percent certainty. Any members of the public aware of an Estonian citizen who is in Iran should contact the ministry, Vseviov said.

"We don't have an embassy in Tehran, which makes evacuation more difficult, but we can handle it. We have brought people back to Estonia from even more distant and complicated places," he noted.

Ultimately what matters is ensuring security in the Middle East and globally, and in Europe at least, there has been no talk of regime change in Iran, Vseviov added.
"I'm not sure whether regime change is possible or whether it is even on the table. Europe is not talking about any regime change," he said, adding "Regime change is not something to be treated lightly. I think there are examples from recent history in that same region showing that once undertaken, such actions can prove far more complicated than originally planned."

The secretary general also declined to speculate on statements by U.S. President Donald Trump X he knew in advance about the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Iran, beyond noting the overwhelming amount of information circulating, mostly online.

"Maybe someday in the future we'll find out whether the U.S. knew or didn't, who knew and what, what the plans were — but right now the real question is how to end this war, how to prevent escalation, and how to secure the safety of the entire region. Whether the U.S. will intervene or not — that's a question best asked of the American president," Vseviov concluded.

The standoff between Israel and Iran, the latter suspected of attempting to develop nuclear weapons and with ties to Hezbollah and Hamas, took on a new tempo from last Friday after launched attacks on dozens of targets with the stated aim of stopping the expansion of Iran's nuclear program. Iran has launched counter strikes, which have caused casualties.

Israel's operation is dubbed "Rising lion," and in this context some have speculated over links to the lion which appeared on the pre-1979 Iranian flag.

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