In the immediate aftermath of the joint US‑Israel military strikes on Iran, world leaders and international organisations have expressed a wide range of reactions, from condemnation to calls for restraint.
Iran’s response was swift and defiant. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused US and Israel of violating the United Nations Charter and pledged a strong counterattack following what Tehran said were coordinated attacks on multiple sites. A senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera that “All American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become a legitimate target,” warning that there would be “no red lines after this aggression.”
Iranian forces have already launched strikes not only against Israeli territory but also at locations in several Gulf Arab states that host US military assets, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
What are affected Gulf states saying?
The UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia strongly condemned Iran’s missile attacks targeting Gulf states, describing them as serious violations of sovereignty and international law. The UAE Ministry of Defence said several missiles aimed at its territory were intercepted and labelled the assault a “dangerous escalation and a cowardly act” threatening civilian safety, asserting its “full right” to respond.
Notably, Oman, which was acting as the main mediator in the conflict, advised the US to not “not to get sucked in” further as the war wouldn’t further the country’s interests.
Bahrain confirmed that an Iranian strike targeted the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters hosted in the kingdom, calling the attack “treacherous.” Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry denounced the strike on its soil as a “flagrant violation” of international law and warned that further escalation would destabilise the region.
Saudi Arabia likewise condemned the attacks in the “strongest terms,” cautioning that such actions could have “dire consequences” for regional security.
EU seeks ‘maximum restraint’
Many in the international community expressed alarm over the rapidly escalating situation. European Union officials joined in calls for calm, urging all parties to show “maximum restraint,” protect civilians and adhere to international law. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa described the conflict’s progress as “greatly concerning” and stressed the need to prevent further civilian harm.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, saying the conflict carries “serious consequences” for international peace and security.
Reactions from other governments have been mixed. Some nations condemned the strikes outright, while others called for emergency action from international organisations. For instance, Pakistan’s leadership denounced the US‑Israel offensive as unjustified and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de‑escalation.
Meanwhile, Russia sharply condemned the military action, labelling it an “unprovoked act of armed aggression” that could destabilise the region further and cause humanitarian, economic and security disasters if allowed to escalate. Moscow warned that the strikes undermine international legal norms and called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to address the crisis.