Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vowed to punish supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s “assassins”
Countries around the world have expressed fears of a conflagration in the Middle East after the United States and Israel and Iran targeted US bases in the region in retaliation.
Iran guards promise ‘severe’ punishment
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have vowed to punish the “assassins” of supreme leader Ali Khamenei after his death was confirmed on state television. “The hand of vengeance of the Iranian nation for severe, decisive and pitiful punishment for the killers of the Imam of the Ummah will not let them go,” the Guards said in a statement.
UN condemns escalation
The head of the United Nations, António Guterres, condemned the latest events. “I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” he said in a statement, adding that attacks by both sides had undermined international peace and security. UN rights chief Volker Turk said further attacks would “only result in death, destruction and human misery”.
EU condemns Iran
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen condemned Iran’s “unjustifiable attacks” on the UAE. “These attacks constitute a flagrant violation of UAE sovereignty and a clear breach of international law,” wrote the President of the European Commission in X. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers for Sunday.
Russia: Nuclear ‘Catastrophe’
Russia condemned the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, warning that they were “bringing the region to the brink of a humanitarian, economic and — this cannot be ruled out — radiological catastrophe.”
UN nuclear watchdog: ‘monitoring’
The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in a statement calling for restraint, added that so far there was “no evidence of any radiological impact.”
China: ‘Immediate interruption’
China urged “an immediate halt to military actions,” with Beijing’s foreign ministry insisting that “Iran’s national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity must be respected.”
Qatar: ‘Right to respond’
Qatar, which hosts a US military base, condemned an Iranian missile attack on its territory and warned that it “reserves its full right to respond to this attack”.
Australia: Khamenei will not be mourned
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “will not be mourned” after Iranian state media confirmed his death.
Norway: Israel broke international law
Norway’s foreign minister said Israel’s attacks on Iran broke international law, noting that “a preemptive strike would require the existence of an imminent threat.”
South Africa: Israel and the US broke international law
The US and Israeli attacks on Iran violated international law, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said. “Anticipatory self-defense is not permitted under international law and self-defense cannot be based on assumption or anticipation,” he said in a statement, calling for “maximum restraint.”
India: ‘Dialogue and diplomacy’
India’s foreign ministry insisted that “dialogue and diplomacy must be pursued” while the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected.”
United Kingdom, France and Germany criticize Iran
Britain, France and Germany jointly condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes, each saying it did not participate in the US-Israel operation. London expressed fears that the situation could escalate “into a wider regional conflict”. French President Emmanuel Macron, calling for a halt to the “dangerous” escalation, called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
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Lebanon: Will not be drawn into war
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam promised his country would not be drawn into war after Israel announced it was carrying out strikes targeting Iran’s ally Hezbollah in southern Lebanon amid its anti-Iran operation.
Son of the Shah: ‘Final victory’ near
Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah and one of Tehran’s main critics, said “final victory” was at hand after the attacks. “Together we can take back and rebuild Iran,” said Pahlavi — who lives in exile in the US.
Egypt: ‘Serious risks’
Egypt’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns Iran’s attack on the unity and territorial integrity of brotherly Arab states”, warning of the “serious risks it poses to the security and stability of Arab states”.
Türkiye condemns both sides
“We are deeply disturbed by the US-Israeli attacks on our neighbor Iran,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised speech. He also denounced Iran’s drone and missile attacks on the Gulf as “unacceptable, regardless of the motive.” “To prevent our region from suffering further, all actors, especially the Islamic world, must act,” he added.
Jordan: Will defend itself
The Jordanian government called for de-escalation while warning that it would defend the kingdom’s interests “with all its strength”. A government spokesman said the country was not party to the conflict.
Hamas: US-Israel ‘aggression’
The Palestinian militant group and Iran ally Hamas condemned the US and Israeli “aggression” against Tehran, calling it “a direct assault on the entire region”.
Palestinian Authority: condemns Iran
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) “strongly condemned” Iran’s attacks on Arab countries, including several Gulf nations. It rejected “any infringement on their sovereignty or aggression against them by any party,” without mentioning previous US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Ukraine: Overthrow ‘terrorist regime’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argued that the attacks on Iran created an opportunity for the Iranian people to overthrow the “terrorist regime” in Tehran.
Red Cross: ‘Dangerous chain reaction’
President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, warned that the “military escalation in the Middle East is igniting a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians.”
African Union: Stability at risk
The African Union called for “restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue” following the attacks, warning that the conflict could risk harming people on the continent.
New Zealand: new negotiations needed
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called for “the resumption of negotiations” and respect for international law to end the crisis, urging “the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution.”
*AFP
