First international reactions to the US attack on Iran

US allies have called for a return to the negotiating table following the US attacks on Iran, while emphasizing the threat posed by Tehran's nuclear program. Some of them, including nations that support Iran, condemned the attack while calling for a de-escalation.

The Pentagon has described the operation as the largest aircraft strike of its kind in history, dubbed 'Midnight Hammer' and began at 5:00 p.m. Washington time (9:00 p.m. GMT, 1:10 a.m. Iran time).

Refueling, reconnaissance, and fighter tankers also participated in the attack , which involved a total of more than 125 aircraft, supported by U.S. submarine fire.

US President Donald Trump, who said last Thursday he was considering getting involved in the conflict, finally began the attack early three days later against three nuclear facilities in Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States had "crossed a grave red line" and announced the end of diplomatic negotiations. Some question whether Iran will capitulate or remain defiant and begin attacking US targets in the Persian Gulf.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was "gravely alarmed" by the US use of force. "There is a growing risk that this conflict could quickly spiral out of control, with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world," he said in an interview. "I call on member states to de-escalate the situation." "There is no military solution. The only way forward is diplomacy."

The United Kingdom, along with the European Union led by France and Germany, unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a diplomatic solution with Iran in Geneva last week.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of escalation beyond the Middle East as he called on all parties to negotiate a diplomatic end to the crisis, saying stability is a priority in an already fragile region.

Starmer also said that Iran's nuclear program posed a grave threat to global security. "Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and the United States has taken steps to alleviate that threat," Starmer said.

The European Union's top diplomat said Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, but urged those involved in the conflict to show restraint.

"I urge all parties to step back, return to the negotiating table, and prevent further escalation," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a social media post.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani added that Iran's nuclear facilities "represented a danger to the entire region," but hoped the action could lead to a de-escalation of the conflict and negotiations.

President António Costa said he was "deeply alarmed" by the bombings and called on all parties to "show restraint and respect for international law and nuclear safety."

"Too many civilians will once again be victims of further escalation," Costa added. "The EU will continue to engage with the parties and our partners to find a peaceful solution at the negotiating table."

Egypt, Russia, Iraq

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also warned of the "serious repercussions" of extending the conflict in the Middle East and called for a return to negotiations.

Dmitry Medvedev , who serves as President Vladimir Putin's deputy on the Security Council , has said that several unnamed countries "are prepared to supply nuclear weapons to Tehran." He asserts that the US attack has caused minimal damage and would not prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

The Russian Foreign Ministry "strongly condemned" the airstrikes, calling them "a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions."

The Iraqi government also condemned the US attacks, stressing that the military escalation poses a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East and serious risks to regional stability. It also called for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis.

"The continuation of such attacks risks a dangerous escalation with consequences that extend beyond the borders of any state, threatening the security of the entire region and the world," government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said in the statement.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Lebanon

Saudi Arabia , for its part, which had previously condemned Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leaders, on this occasion merely expressed its "deep concern" about the US airstrikes without condemning them.

"The Kingdom underscores the need to make every effort to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and prevent further escalation," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Qatar , which hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East and has served as a key mediator in the war between Israel and Hamas, also "regrets" the escalation of tensions in the war between Israel and Iran and through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges all parties to show restraint and "avoid escalation, which the peoples of the region, burdened by conflicts and their tragic humanitarian repercussions, cannot tolerate."

Both the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hamas have condemned the US attacks. Hamas and the Houthis are part of Iran's so-called "Axis of Resistance," a network of Tehran-allied groups stretching from Yemen to Lebanon, which for years has given Iran considerable power across the region.

In a statement, the Houthis pledged to support Iran in its fight against "Zionist and American aggression." The Houthi political office yesterday called on nations to "react" and consider "the option of jihad and resistance as a front against Zionist-American arrogance."

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also stressed that the US bombing could lead to a regional conflict that no country could bear, and called for negotiations. "Lebanon, its leadership, parties and people, are aware today, more than ever, that it has paid a heavy price for the wars that broke out on its land and in the region," Aoun said in a statement on X. "It is not willing to pay more."

China, Pakistan

Pakistan , for its part, has criticized the US attacks as a "deeply disturbing" escalation just days after nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic intervention in the India-Pakistan crisis.

"These attacks violate all norms of international law," the government said in a statement. "Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter."

China has also condemned the US attacks on Iran, calling them a serious violation of international law that further inflames tensions in the Middle East. The Chinese Foreign Ministry urges all parties, especially Israel, to "declare a ceasefire and begin dialogue."

"China is willing to work with the international community to join forces to uphold justice and contribute to the work of restoring peace and stability in the Middle East," he said.

Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Peru

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Saturday criticized the United States for attacking Iran's nuclear plants and sent a message to US President Donald Trump: "I tell you, don't wage war, stop the war between Israel and Iran. It could create nuclear problems for all of humanity." The leftist president added that the attack "not only insults the Middle East" and called on all Colombians to "demand world peace."

Venezuela has also condemned the US military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling it an "illegal, unjustifiable, and extremely dangerous act of aggression" that could have "incalculable consequences for global stability," according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry. "It represents a violation of the United Nations Charter," it said, and demanded "an immediate cessation of hostilities."

In Chile , President Gabriel Boric declared that "the United States announces that it has just bombed nuclear power plants in Iran. Attacking nuclear power plants is prohibited by international law. ... Having power does not authorize using it in violation of the rules that we have given ourselves as humanity."

In Mexico , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that Mexico "urgently calls for diplomatic dialogue for peace between the parties involved in the Middle East conflict."

In Argentina , President Javier Milei, who traveled to Israel prior to his attack on Iran last week, chose the attacks. His spokesman, Manuel Adorni, posted a message on social media saying, "Terrorism never again."

In a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry, Peru expressed its concern about the situation in the Middle East and noted that recent actions "exacerbate the spiral of violence," affecting efforts to "de-escalate the conflict," which "puts world peace and security at serious risk."

The Andean country urged avoiding further military action and prioritizing diplomatic channels for "the pursuit of a just and lasting peace," the official report added.

Japan, Australia

The Japanese government has aligned itself with the United States, stating today that U.S. actions in Iran "demonstrate its determination to de-escalate the situation" and, at the same time, prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In a statement, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya expressed Japan's position on Washington's involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel, after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba avoided expressing his support for the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities the day before.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba yesterday called for "calming the situation as soon as possible" without condemning or supporting the attack. Given that any conflict in the Middle East is a concern for the resource-poor country, which is highly dependent on oil imports, he said that "every possible precaution" would be urgently taken to prevent a rise in oil and utility costs before the summer, when energy demand increases.

Pope Leo XIV also called for peace during his Angelus prayer on Sunday in St. Peter's Square, asking international diplomacy to "silence the guns." After an open reference to the "alarming" situation in Iran, the first American pontiff emphasized that "today more than ever, humanity cries out and invokes peace, and it is a cry that must not be stifled."

In Australia , the Prime Minister has publicly expressed his support for the United States following the attack on Iran. "The world has long agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. And we support measures to prevent that," the president said today at a press conference in Canberra.

Albanese accuses Iran of "repeatedly failing to comply with its international obligations" regarding the development of its nuclear program. The Australian Embassy in Tehran has been closed since Friday, with consular staff deployed to the Azerbaijani border region to assist in the evacuation of Australian citizens.