The joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, followed by Tehran’s missile retaliation against Israel and U.S. assets in the Gulf, have prompted a wave of international reactions, with governments warning of escalation and calling for restraint.
President Donald Trump said the United States was carrying out a “major combat operation” to eliminate threats from the Iranian regime, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the strikes as targeting an “existential threat.”
Iran denounced the attacks as illegal and responded with missile fire across the region.
European leaders voiced concern over the widening confrontation.
European Union officials called the conflict greatly concerning and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and respect international law.
France called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, warning of serious consequences for international peace and security.
Germany, France and Britain jointly condemned Iranian attacks and reaffirmed their commitment to regional stability and the protection of civilians.
Spain demanded immediate de-escalation and full respect for international law, while Canada said it supported U.S. efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Norway’s foreign minister said Israel’s initial strike was not in line with international law, arguing that preventive attacks require an immediately imminent threat.
In the Gulf, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait condemned Iranian missile strikes on their territories, calling them violations of sovereignty and international law.
Saudi Arabia warned of dire consequences from the escalation.
Oman, which has been mediating U.S.-Iran negotiations, said diplomacy had been undermined and urged Washington not to deepen its involvement.
Pakistan called for an immediate halt to escalation and a return to negotiations.
Russia accused the United States of using nuclear talks as cover for military operations and urged an objective international assessment of the actions.
Ukraine blamed the Iranian leadership for the chain of events leading to the conflict.
The United Nations human rights chief warned that the escalation risked devastating consequences for civilians across the Middle East.