“My message to Iran is clear: We cannot continue with massive reactions of escalation,” Scholz said BERLIN: German chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Iran to end the cycle of escalation following Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites early on Saturday, saying restraint could pave the way for peace in the Middle East. “My message to Iran is clear: We cannot continue with massive reactions of escalation. This must end now. This will provide an opportunity for peaceful development in the Middle East,” Scholz said in a post on social media platform X. Israel struck military sites in Iran early on Saturday, but its retaliation for an Iranian attack this month did not appear aimed at the country’s most sensitive oil and nuclear targets after urgent calls from allies and neighbors for restraint.