Briefing of diplomatic correspondents by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lana Zochiou (Athens, 12.03.2026)

L. ZOCHIOU: Good morning. Welcome to another briefing on issues concerning the Middle East.

I will begin with a statement regarding the latest developments.

We express our concern about further military escalation and the expansion of the conflict in the Middle East.

We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent further spillover from an already critical situation that poses serious risks to regional and international peace and security.

All parties must work toward the re-establishment of reliable communication channels and a return to substantive negotiations in order to avert a protracted conflict.

Greece has repeatedly expressed its strong concern regarding Iran's nuclear program. Full oversight of its nuclear and ballistic programs is a prerequisite for regional stability.

From the outset, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have been in communication with Greece's partners in the wider region. In addition, last week, on March 5, Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis participated in a meeting of EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which was also attended by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and which focused on the latest developments in Iran and the wider Middle East.

Notably, the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

- expressed Greece's solidarity with the Gulf countries,

- reaffirmed Greece's solidarity with Cyprus,

- stressed the importance of cooperation with the local authorities for the safe repatriation of European citizens,

- stressed the need for diplomacy, respect for International Law, International Humanitarian Law and human rights, and

- highlighted the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation.

Just yesterday, Greece co-sponsored, together with 134 UN Member States, and voted in favor of a UN Security Council Resolution expressing solidarity and support for the countries of the Gulf regarding the situation and developments unfolding in the Middle East.

We also strongly emphasized the importance of freedom of navigation and maritime security. As you know, more than 80% of global trade is conducted by sea. Significant disruption has already been caused to global supply chains, directly affecting maritime transport, energy flows and trade.

The ongoing armed conflict in our wider neighborhood requires our country to maintain a high level of defense preparedness.

Furthermore, Greece, demonstrating heightened reflexes, responded immediately to Cyprus's official request for defense assistance. It also responded positively to a similar request by Bulgaria, with a view to effectively protecting our wider neighborhood from any potential aggressive actions.

These developments highlight the geopolitical importance of the Eastern Mediterranean. The current crisis also demonstrates how closely European security is intertwined with developments in the Middle East. This will undoubtedly be one of the issues that will concern us in the period ahead and may well be one of the key lessons drawn from the crisis in the Middle East. We must be prepared to address threats to the economy, energy security, and potential migration flows arising from this crisis.

Regarding Lebanon, Greece, in its capacity as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, together with France, Denmark, Latvia and the United Kingdom, requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the deteriorating situation in Lebanon. The meeting was held yesterday, and we co-signed the joint statement delivered by France regarding the situation in the country.

We express our full solidarity with Lebanon and underline the need for respect of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have repeatedly stressed that we oppose large-scale operations on Lebanese territory. In the joint statement, we emphasized the importance of supporting the efforts of the Government of Lebanon for the swift implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

In January 2026, Greece provided military equipment to Lebanon. We are now examining the possibility of dispatching humanitarian assistance.

As regards repatriations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Greek Diplomatic Missions abroad have been on constant alert since the very outset of the crisis to provide every possible assistance to Greek citizens affected by the armed conflict in the Middle East.

From the first moment, the Crisis Management Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was activated. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing assistance to Greek citizens. In addition, all relevant information is available on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the websites of our Missions abroad, and on social media, including contact details for our Missions and emergency lines. An additional 12 telephone lines have already been activated to provide prompt assistance to Greeks in need in the region.

Following instructions from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and through the coordinated efforts of the Ministry and the competent Embassies in the affected areas, repatriation operations of Greek citizens and their family members from the Middle East are being carried out. In most cases, these operations are carried out by chartered flights and military aircraft.

Approximately 2,000 citizens and their family members have already been safely repatriated from the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jerusalem, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Just yesterday, 259 citizens who had been in Qatar and 503 citizens from Dubai returned to Athens on special flights. They were welcomed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Teresa Angelatou. In recent days, Greek citizens have also been transported by road from Jerusalem to the Taba border crossing in Egypt, under the coordination of the Consul General in Jerusalem.

This is an exceptionally complex operation, the largest ever undertaken from multiple conflict zones. The staff of our Embassies and Consular Authorities are working tirelessly, day and night, in order to carry out their mission, putting both their own lives and their families' safety at risk.

Allow me to mention by name the Heads of Mission in the affected areas. In Israel, Ambassador Maria Solomou; at the Consulate General in Jerusalem, Ambassador Dimitrios Angelosopoulos; in Kuwait and Bahrain, Ambassador Ioannis Plotas; in Lebanon, Ambassador Despoina Koukoulopoulou; in Jordan, Ambassador Irini Riga; in Qatar, Ambassador Christos Kapodistrias; in Saudi Arabia and Oman, Ambassador Aikaterini Varvarigou; in Iraq, Mr. Georgios Dimitriou; and the Consul General in Erbil, Mr. Nikolaos Stergioulas.

In the United Arab Emirates, which has borne the largest burden due to the high volume of requests and where the Mission has been reinforced with seven additional diplomatic officers, our Ambassador is Mr. Stylianos Gavriil.

I would also like to mention the Embassy of Greece in Iran. The Head of our Mission there is Mr. Konstantinos Tsenkelidis. In light of the deteriorating situation on the ground and the prevailing security conditions, a decision has been made to relocate our Embassy from Tehran to Baku, Azerbaijan.

The key factor affecting all these efforts is airspace, which remains closed in most countries. Specifically, the airspace over Israel, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain remains closed. In Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, it is open. In the United Arab Emirates it is partially open. In Qatar, it remains closed, with only a limited number of flights taking place.

I would also like to note that we remain in constant communication with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. The safety of Greek seafarers and Greek vessels in the region is a top priority. According to the most recent communication we had a few hours ago, there are ten Greek vessels with 90 Greek seafarers in the Gulf region. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs maintains continuous contact and confirms that they are safe and in good health. No repatriation request has been submitted. However, should such a request arise, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and in cooperation with the competent Consular Authorities, will facilitate their safe return to Greece. In the wider area of the Sea of Oman there are several Greek-owned vessels ; one of them, as you are aware, was hit yesterday.

As regards the schedule of the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

On Monday, March 9, he accompanied the Prime Minister to a trilateral meeting of high symbolism in Paphos with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

On Monday, March 16, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be in Brussels to participate in the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. The Council's agenda, as expected, includes developments in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. The Minister of External Affairs of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will also participate in person.

On March 17, Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis will visit Berlin, where he will meet with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul.

Finally, I would like to refer to the Global Media Center.

It is a digital information platform, part of the overall digital transformation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is undoubtedly a modern tool for smart public diplomacy. It offers the possibility of digital media monitoring, targeted content searches and the systematic coverage of international current affairs.

The use of the Global Media Center will assist our Ministry in addressing disinformation and hybrid threats directed against our country, while substantially supporting the promotion of Greece's image internationally, as well as its foreign policy positions.

I would like to stress that none of the platform's functions is directed against freedom of expression, nor does it allow any interference in the work of journalists.

It is a modern digital information tool that enables the monitoring of international news coverage in real time, both in print and digital form. It strengthens the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' ability to swiftly and effectively identify fake news and promptly issue statements that substantively refute inaccurate or malicious publications.

I am at your disposal.

TH. BALODIMAS: Balodimas from "Rizospastis" newspaper. You also referred at some length to freedom of navigation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was recently asked, in the interview he gave to Mr. Papahelas, specifically about the Strait of Hormuz, whether there is a possibility of seeing a European fleet there, together with Greek vessels, creating a security corridor. He replied that there would be discussions at European institutions level regarding the next steps. Could you tell us whether any discussions are taking place at the Permanent Representatives level or whether this will be discussed at Monday's Council?

L. ZOCHIOU: Beyond what I mentioned in my introductory remarks, I will respond specifically to your question. Greece plays a leading role in the European Union's EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation. The mandate of this operation is geographically confined to the Red Sea and concerns the defensive support of commercial vessels in the region. There is no question of extending this mandate.

K. TSAMOURI: Tsamouri from Star Channel and "Parapolitika" newspaper. A short while ago, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in reaction to the deployment of Patriot systems to Karpathos, referring to illegal actions that run counter to international treaties. They say they have taken all necessary measures and that these moves by Greece are illegal and harm good neighborly relations. How does the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs respond?

L. ZOCHIOU: Allow me to clarify that, if we are referring to the same information, the statement originated from the Turkish Ministry of Defense. A few days ago, we responded accordingly to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You may refer to that response.

K. ALATZAS: Alatzas from "Efimerida ton Syntakton" newspaper and Action24 channel. I would like to return briefly to the issue of initiatives the European Union might take to protect maritime transport. If I have understood correctly, the French President, during the Trilateral Meeting in Cyprus, expressed the will to further strengthen the European presence - such as the ASPIDES operation, which, as you said, is geographically limited to the Red Sea - and stated that there is ongoing contact with European partners to reinforce European forces protecting maritime transport. Do you have anything further on this? Is there any initiative under discussion, not within the framework of ASPIDES, but perhaps for another European operation that would not be limited to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but would have a different geographical scope, possibly closer to the Straits of Hormuz? I do not wish to speculate. Is such a process underway within the European Union at the initiative of France? Thank you.

L. ZOCHIOU: Let's stick to what has already been said. I have nothing further to add. Should anything arise, I will come back.

D. KRIKELAS: Dimitris Krikelas from flash.gr and Flash TV. Twenty-four hours after Athens decided to support Cyprus' security with military means, by sending two frigates and four fighter jets, and a few hours after it became known that a Patriot battery would also be deployed to Karpathos, there was a telephone conversation between Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis and his Turkish counterpart. I would like to ask whether these issues - the steps taken on our side as well as those that followed from Ankara - were raised during that discussion. Thank you.

L. ZOCHIOU: During the conversation between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his Turkish counterpart, the issue of Karpathos was not raised.

D. KRIKELAS: What about the Greek military deployment to Cyprus? Was that discussed?

L. ZOCHIOU: There was no such reference.

A. TELOPOULOS: Telopoulos, i-efimerida and "Efimerida ton Syntakton" newspaper. In light of everything that has happened in Cyprus and the European forces that were deployed there, a parallel discussion has also opened regarding Article 42.7 - the EU mutual defense clause - and whether it should be updated. From what we understand, the Prime Minister suggested in his remarks that the action of European partners was more in line with a "coalition of the willing" approach rather than the spirit of Article 42.7. Does Greece intend to push for an update or for the creation of a more automatic mechanism with regard to Article 42.7 on defense assistance, in light of recent developments and possible future challenges?

L. ZOCHIOU: You are going quite far ahead. It is still very early to discuss such matters. Let us remain with what the Prime Minister has already stated.

P. MICHOS: Good day. Panayiotis Michos from "To Manifesto" newspaper. Within the framework of the Security and Defense Agreement between Athens and Abu Dhabi, have the United Arab Emirates requested defense assistance from Greece, given that the agreement includes a mutual defense clause and the Emirates have come under attack on their territory? Have they asked us for assistance in any way, and if so, how? Thank you.

L. ZOCHIOU: These are strictly operational issues. Please allow me not to comment on any possible request for assistance, for reasons of confidentiality. For such matters I would also kindly refer you to the competent Ministry of Defense.

P. MICHOS: Since the agreement was signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2020 - without necessarily going into details about the form of assistance - has there been a request from the United Arab Emirates? That is my question.

L. ZOCHIOU: I am not aware whether such a request exists. As we have already stated, we are not involved in any operation against Iran in any capacity.

CH. MAKRI: Chrisa Makri from parapolitika.gr. Earlier you referred us to the Minister of Foreign Affairs' statement regarding the reaction of the Turkish Ministry of Defense to the Patriot deployment in Karpathos and Evros. Could you be more specific? Which statement are you referring to? What is the response issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter?

L. ZOCHIOU: I refer you to the response given on March 5 by the spokesperson of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the statement made by my Turkish counterpart on this issue.

CH. MAKRI: So, you are referring to that, not to a statement by the Minister.

L. ZOCHIOU: It was a statement by the spokesperson of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it was answered accordingly at the same level.

TH. BALODIMAS: Based on what the U.S. administration has said over the past two or three days, do you have any sense of where things might be heading?

L. ZOCHIOU: Perhaps you should address that question to my counterpart at the U.S. Department of State.

P. MICHOS: Given that there appears to be a divergence of views between the United States and Israel regarding the end of the war - following yesterday's statements by President Trump and Israel's Minister of Defense, Mr. Katz - what is Greece's position, considering that it is theoretically an ally of both countries? When should the war end? What is Greece's assessment and how do we position ourselves, given that two of our closest allies, the United States and Israel, hold different views on when and how the conflict should end?

L. ZOCHIOU: Our position is very clear. I believe I addressed it at length in my introductory remarks. I have nothing further to add.

TH. BALODIMAS: Regarding the meeting with the German Foreign Minister - could you mention a couple of items on the agenda?

L. ZOCHIOU: Bilateral issues, developments in the Middle East, and matters of broader international interest.

P. MICHOS: Anything regarding the schedule of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Papadopoulou?

L. ZOCHIOU: As far as I know, she will participate in the General Affairs Council in Brussels.

N. PETANIDOU: Nikoleta Petanidou from "NAFTEMPORIKI" newspaper. Has the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs received an invitation to the Foreign Affairs Council, as has happened on several occasions in the past?

L. ZOCHIOU: No. It is a Foreign Affairs Council meeting, so his presence is not foreseen. Perhaps you are confusing it with the informal meeting. He is not invited to Foreign Affairs Councils.

K. ALATZAS: Returning to Lebanon. Beyond the military equipment that has already been sent, is there a possibility that further military assistance will be dispatched to Lebanon, given Athens' interest in the region?

L. ZOCHIOU: Military equipment was sent in January 2026. This is also posted on the website of our Embassy in Lebanon. What I am aware of at this stage concerns humanitarian assistance.

P. MICHOS: There has been speculation and discussion about the possible participation - accession - of Cyprus to NATO, despite Türkiye's known opposition. What is the position of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

L. ZOCHIOU: First and foremost, this concerns the Republic of Cyprus, which is a sovereign state. Greece will support any decision it takes.

D. KRIKELAS: In case I missed it earlier, are there any repatriation flights scheduled for today?

L. ZOCHIOU: With regard to possible additional repatriation flights, the situation is assessed in light of the conditions prevailing in each country. As you may be aware, air traffic is gradually being restored. Therefore, decisions will be taken on a case-by-case basis. For the moment, there is no flight scheduled. It should also be noted that once air traffic is restored, the need for repatriation operations no longer arises. In any case, requests for repatriation have already decreased significantly.

M. MOURELATOU: Maria Mourelatou from "TA NEA" newspaper. I would like to ask where things stand with the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection and whether this project has been put on hold due to the situation in the Middle East. Thank you.

L. ZOCHIOU: The only thing I can say at this stage is that our position remains firm and consistent with regard to the implementation of this project, which is of strategic importance and of Common European Interest.

P. MICHOS: Incidentally, regarding what Ms Mourelatou just mentioned, there were press reports in recent days about the harassment of a vessel laying fibre-optic cables between Greek islands - Nisyros and Amorgos, if I am not mistaken. We asked the Government Spokesperson about this and he referred us to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying the information had come from you. What exactly happened? Has this incident occurred? Thank you.

L. ZOCHIOU: To my knowledge, the operation has been completed.

A. BARAKAT: Barakat, from the Egyptian Television. Given that Greece is a member of the UN Security Council, could it play a role in a dialogue between Iran and the United States on the Middle East?

L. ZOCHIOU: As I said at the outset, we support diplomacy. We believe that the only viable solution is the one achieved through diplomatic means. Greece is a reliable country in the region with regard to its relations both with Israel and with the Arab world. As far as I am aware, at present Greece has not assumed a mediation role. Should there be any developments, I will of course come back.

D. KRIKELAS: Returning to the issue of repatriations, since you mentioned that requests have decreased, could you give us an indication of the scale? Where were we before and where do we stand now?

L. ZOCHIOU: Last week we mentioned several thousand repatriation requests. At present we are talking about a much lower number - of course this is being reassessed in some countries following yesterday's repatriation flights. Allow me not to cite specific figures, but based on the latest information we received this morning, the number has fallen sharply. You should also bear in mind that some requests change at the last minute, either for family or professional reasons. This often becomes apparent even at the very last moment, just as the flight is about to depart.

S. SOURMELIDIS: Sourmelidis, from "Avgi" newspaper and "Sto Kokkino" radio. At the beginning you expressed concern about further escalation. Is this consistent with the Minister's statement, before the latest attack on Iran, that "we co-shape developments"?

L. ZOCHIOU: This is a phrase the Minister has used since the first day of Greece's election to the UN Security Council. What does this mean? Greece is one of the fifteen members of the UN Security Council, where decisions are taken concerning the international security architecture. The member states jointly decide on issues relating to global security. That is what he was referring to.

S. SOURMELIDIS: Because this statement was made after the meeting with Mr. Rubio and not after any Security Council meeting - I am asking simply to avoid any misunderstanding. So, we are not shaping developments together with the United States and Israel?

L. ZOCHIOU: I believe I was clear.

K. ALATZAS: A clarifying question regarding the Greek seafarers on vessels that are effectively trapped inside the Gulf. You said there has been no repatriation request. If such a request were submitted, how could it realistically be carried out, given the objective difficulties? Would it be possible or not?

L. ZOCHIOU: What exactly do you mean?

K. ALATZAS: Well, they are effectively trapped inside the Gulf. It seems somewhat difficult to imagine how this could be done…

L. ZOCHIOU: There are ways for this to be done.

S. SOURMELIDIS: If I may ask a clarification regarding this information platform. Does the platform enable general press monitoring, or only when it concerns fake news or malicious publications?

L. ZOCHIOU: The platform provides continuous monitoring, but of course the parameters are set by the user each time. What we want to monitor in the international press are, in particular, issues of Greek interest. This is our priority. If malicious reports against our country are identified and could fall within broader hybrid threats, we monitor how these stories circulate, how they are reproduced and how they evolve. The team established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will then assess whether a response is required. If so, the response will take the form of an official statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That would be our course of action if such malicious reporting is identified. Let me remind you that the platform was presented at the end of February by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, here at the Ministry.

K. BALI: A clarification on that, if I may. Let's take an example. Suppose tomorrow - heaven forbid - another deadly shipwreck occurs in the Aegean. Would any interpretation of how it happened be considered malicious? Who decides what constitutes malicious content?

L. ZOCHIOU: What do you mean?

K. BALI: Who determines what is malicious? It is very difficult to define what is malicious, especially since you emphasized that the platform does not interfere with freedom of the press or freedom of expression.

L. ZOCHIOU: Correct.

K. BALI: How is malicious content defined? The foreign press writes many things about Greece - migration, surveillance scandals, and so on.

L. ZOCHIOU: Anything that could harm the image of our country.

K. BALI: But the truth can also harm the image of our country.

L. ZOCHIOU: We are talking about malicious reporting. The truth is not malicious.

K. BALI: The definition of "malicious".

L. ZOCHIOU: The truth is not malicious. I believe it is clear to everyone what malicious means. The truth is not malicious.

K. BALI: But it can still damage the country's image.

L. ZOCHIOU: Nevertheless, I am referring to something that is [false or malicious] …

K. BALI: So, both together - malicious and damaging to the country's image?

L. ZOCHIOU: Yes, in combination.

P. TZANETAKOS: Good morning. Tzanetakos from ERT and "To Vima" newspaper. It has struck many observers that, aside from the reaction of the Republic of Cyprus - I believe President Christodoulides himself made a statement - regarding the transfer of Turkish F-16 aircrafts to the occupied areas, and following reports yesterday about the possible installation of Turkish anti-missile air-defense systems in Cyprus, there has been no reaction from Athens, either officially or unofficially. Do you have any comment?

L. ZOCHIOU: It was our historic obligation and an obvious duty, when Cyprus was threatened and officially requested defense assistance from us - as the only legitimate Government representing the entire island - to support it and demonstrate our solidarity in practice. Our assistance to Cyprus is purely defensive in nature.

Cyprus, the southeasternmost part of the European Union in the Eastern Mediterranean region, constitutes a pillar of stability and security in the wider area, despite the continued illegal Turkish occupation of 37% of its territory for the past 52 years. The illegal invasion and occupation does not legitimize any presence of Turkish military forces.

S. SOURMELIDIS: A clarification, if I may. The assistance - which is self-evident and non-negotiable - is at a bilateral level, since the Republic of Cyprus has not invoked Article 42.7. I will not ask you why the Republic of Cyprus did not invoke it…

L. ZOCHIOU: On that matter you should ask the spokesperson of the Republic of Cyprus.

S. SOURMELIDIS: But it is bilateral, not a European issue.

L. ZOCHIOU: The request was officially made by the Cypriot side to Greece.

Thank you very much.

[In response to a journalist's question regarding the transport of pets on repatriation flights, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated:

"Regarding the transport of pets, the policy of each airline is strictly followed with respect to the conditions governing chartered repatriation flights. This possibility is explicitly specified in the terms under which these special flights operate.

The possibility is being examined that special arrangements for pets could be made on a future repatriation flight, always in accordance with the security restrictions imposed by the legislation of the United Arab Emirates."]

March 12, 2026