A roundup of reactions as US joins Israel’s war and attacks three Iranian nuclear sites after days of speculation over US involvement in the conflict.
The United States has bombed three nuclear sites in Iran, further escalating the war between Israel and Iran.
President Donald Trump late on Saturday said the US attacks “obliterated” the Iranian facilities in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz as he threatened more strikes to eliminate the country’s nuclear enrichment capacity if Tehran “does not make peace”.
Iran acknowledged the attacks, saying its personnel working at the nuclear sites were evacuated before the attacks.
The US strikes came more than a week after Israel launched a military campaign against Iran, which retaliated with missile attacks, resulting in hundreds of casualties on both sides.
Here are some key reactions from around the world following the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites:
In his first public remarks after the strikes, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi accused the US of breaching international law.
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Araghchi said in a social media post.
“The events this morning [Sunday] are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.”
“History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
“I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
“This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security”, he said, adding that there is a “growing risk” that this conflict could “rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world”.
Japan
Guterres called on member states to “de-escalate” and “uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law”.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
“The US aggression against Iran is a dangerous escalation, blind obedience to the occupiers’ agenda, and a clear violation of international law,” Hamas said.
“We declare our solidarity with Iran, its leadership, and its people, and we have full confidence in Iran’s ability to defend its sovereignty.”
Saudi Arabia expressed its “great concern” following the US attacks, according to a statement by the foreign ministry on X.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the developments in the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran, represented by the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States of America,” the Saudi foreign ministry posted on X.
The kingdom “expresses the need to exert all efforts to exercise restraint, de-escalate, and avoid escalation”, calling on the international community to boost efforts in such “highly sensitive circumstances” to reach a political solution to end the crisis.
Qatar says it fears serious repercussions after the US air strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran.
The foreign ministry “warns that the current dangerous escalation in the region may lead to catastrophic consequences at both the regional and international levels,” a statement said.
“It calls on all parties to exercise wisdom, restraint, and to avoid further escalation.”
Oman, which was mediating nuclear talks between the US and Iran, has strongly condemned the US strikes.
