Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, plunging the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation as US President Donald Trump vowed to destroy Tehran's missile arsenal and prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
Below is the international reaction to the attacks:
Russia
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and former president, said, "The peacemaker has once again shown his true face. All negotiations with Iran were merely a cover—no one doubted it, and no one truly intended to negotiate."
"The question is who has more patience to wait for the inglorious end of their enemy. The USA is only 249 years old. The Persian Empire was founded more than 2,500 years ago. Let's see in 100 years…"
Lebanon
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said, "I reiterate that we will not accept anyone dragging the country into actions that threaten its security and unity."
Norway
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, "Israel describes the attack as a preventive strike, but it is not in line with international law. Preventive attacks require an immediate, imminent threat."
African Union
The African Union called "for restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue" after the strikes, warning that conflict could risk harming people on the continent.
"Further escalation risks worsening global instability, with serious implications for energy markets, food security, and economic resilience—particularly in Africa, where conflict and economic pressures remain acute," said the pan-African body's head, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.
France
France, which has several military bases in the Middle East, notably in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, said that Paris's priority was the safety of its citizens.
"Obviously our priority in these sort of cases is the protection of our nationals, the protection of our forces in the region and the monitoring of the situation in real time, which we are doing," Alice Rufo, minister-delegate to the Armed Forces and Veterans' Affairs ministry, told France 2 television.
