EU foreign ministers all agreed on need for urgent de-escalation in Middle East, says Kallas

BRUSSELS, June 17 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday reaffirmed the need for an urgent de-escalation in the Middle East, where Iran and Israel have been firing missiles at each other since Friday, while also saying Tehran should not develop a nuclear bomb.

"We all agreed the urgent need for de-escalation, Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and diplomacy is the solution to prevent this and the EU will play its part," she told reporters after a meeting with EU foreign ministers.

"We cannot be lenient when Iran accelerates its nuclear programme."