The News
World capitals reacted to the surprise US attack on Iranian nuclear sites with a mix of calls for restraint and statements of condemnation.
Trump had indicated on Friday he would make a decision in the next two weeks as to whether the US would bomb Iran in support of Israel, but the suddenness of the weekend strikes suggested that deadline was a red herring, with The Atlantic reporting that the president had already made up his mind last week.
As the impact of the strikes was still being assessed Sunday, European and Gulf leaders appeared united in calls for diplomacy and restraint, while Iran’s longtime allies, China and Russia, criticized the aerial assault as a gross escalation that could lead to further war.
The View from Europe
The UK
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose foreign minister met with Iran’s top diplomat last week as part of European efforts to avert the strikes, in a post on X urged Iran “to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”
France
The plea for diplomacy was echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who in his own social media post Sunday called for restraint from Tehran and a return to “dialogue,” as well as a commitment by Iran to renounce nuclear weapons.
Germany
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Iran to “immediately begin negotiations with the US and Israel” to find a diplomatic resolution. The German government believes “significant parts” of Tehran’s nuclear program were impacted in the strikes, but a precise assessment was not immediately possible.
The European Union
The European Union also echoed bloc leaders’ calls for restraint, with the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas writing on social media that she urged “all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation.”
European Council President Antonio Costa said the bloc would work with allies to find a “peaceful solution” to the conflict, and stressed the human toll of further possible attacks: “Too many civilians will once again be the victims of a further escalation,” he said.
The View From The United Nations
United Nations chief António Guterres said in a statement that he was “gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran,” adding that the strikes represented a “dangerous escalation” for the region.
“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,” Guterres said, calling on UN members to deescalate the conflict.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Sunday that it found no increase in off-site radiation levels after the strikes on the nuclear facilities, and that it would continue to monitor the situation.
The UN Security Council was expected to meet later on Sunday to discuss the situation.
The View From China
China’s foreign ministry said Sunday that Beijing “strongly condemns” the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, accusing Washington of violating international law and escalating regional tensions.
“China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that Beijing was “willing to work with the international community to uphold justice and restore peace and stability in the Middle East.”
The View From Russia
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow “strongly condemned” the strikes, echoing China’s accusation that they represented “a gross violation of international law, the U.N. Charter, and U.N. Security Council resolutions.”
Senior Kremlin official and former president Dmitry Medvedev went further, suggesting Trump’s decision to strike Iran had “started a new war for the U.S.,” and that the Iranian regime would likely be strengthened by Washington’s involvement.
In a post on X, Medvedev, who is the deputy chair of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Security Council, indicated that a “number of countries” could also decide to supply Tehran with nuclear weapons following the US strikes.
The View From Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US strikes, saying they were carried out “in full coordination” with Israel. He said US President Donald Trump’s leadership “created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace.”
Netanyahu’s main political opponents also praised the operation: Opposition party leader Yair Lapid dismissed critics of the strikes as “useful idiots.”
The View from the Gulf
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia — a longtime rival of Iran’s which has in recent months seen slightly improved ties with Tehran — voiced “deep concern” over the targeting of the Iranian nuclear sites, and reiterated prior remarks which “condemned and denounced the violation of the sovereignty” of Iran. It urged restraint and de-escalation.
Qatar
Qatar — the globe’s third largest exporter of LNG — regretted the “deterioration of the situation” in its “sisterly” nation of Iran and called for an immediate cease in hostilities. However, a statement from its foreign ministry notably did not mention who conducted the attacks.
The United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi said the strikes threatened to pull the region “into deeper levels of instability” and stressed the need for immediate de-escalation. The foreign ministry called on members of the United Nations’ Security Council to “uphold their responsibilities” in response to the hostilities.
Oman
Oman, which sits across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran and has hosted talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program, said it “deplores” the US strikes, which it characterized as an “illegal aggression,” adding that the attack contravened international agreements allowing Iran to develop a “peaceful” nuclear program.
Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain called for negotiations to restart between the US and Iran, adding that a diplomatic approach “is essential to restoring regional peace and security and to protecting the peoples of the region from the consequences of war,” according to the state news agency.
The country, which is home to a US military base, urged civilian drivers to avoid main roads Sunday as a precaution: Tehran has previously indicated it would consider attacking regional US military bases if Washington decided to strike the country.