World leaders reacted to President Donald Trump’s announcement Saturday that the U.S. had carried out a “very successful attack” on three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo.
“This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Here’s how world reacted after the attack.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on X that his nation “reserves all options” in responding to the attack.
“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,” Araghch said. “Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
Araghchi said that the attacks on “Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” by the U.S. were “a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “Trump’s bold decision will change history.” Speaking minutes after the attack, Netanyahu said, “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, Donald Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the U.S. strikes on Iran represent a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region, posing a serious threat to global peace and security.
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” Guterres said in a statement as reported by Reuters.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,” he said.
The European Union’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas urged “all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation,” while stressing Iran must not be permitted to develop a nuclear weapon. EU foreign ministers will discuss developments in Iran on Monday, she said.
Within the Middle East, the ministry of foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia — a regional ally of the U.S., which only revived relations with Iran in March 2023 after a seven-year diplomatic rift — said it is following developments in “sisterly” Iran with “great concern.”
Yemen’s Houthi militant group, historically backed by Tehran, denounced the U.S.’ “blatant aggression” against Iran in a Google-translated statement carried by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba).
The presidency of Lebanon, whose influential Hezbollah group also receive Iranian support and have been trading fire with Israel, said in a Google-translated statement that “the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities raises fears of an escalation of tensions that could threaten security and stability in more than one region and country” and urged restraint.
In Europe, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the situation in the Middle East “remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority,” calling on Tehran to resume negotiations and reach a diplomatic solution. The U.K., France and Germany have been attempting to de-escalate tensions through rapprochement with Tehran in recent days.
In apparent response, Iran’s Araghchi later said, “to Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran which must “return” to the table. But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?”
Dmitry Medvedev, a senior security official and former president of Russia, on Sunday questioned Trump’s odds of clinching a Nobel Peace Prize despite his recent nomination, saying the White House leader “who came as a peacemaker president, started a new war for the United States” in a Google-translated Telegram post.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Sunday told reporters it is “paramount to calm the situation down soon,” according to Japanese news outlet Jiji. “Iran’s nuclear development must be blocked,” he added, while falling short of endorsing the U.S. action and noting his government will fully discuss the development.
Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvan Gil condemned the attacks in a message on Telegram: “Venezuela Condemns U.S. Military Aggression Against Iran and Demands an Immediate Cessation of Hostilities. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela firmly and categorically condemns the bombing carried out by the United States military, at the request of the State of Israel, against nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan complexes.”
Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel also condemned the attacks on the social media platform X, saying: “We strongly condemn the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which constitutes a dangerous escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. The aggression seriously violates the UN Charter and international law and plunges humanity into a crisis with irreversible consequences.”
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for a diplomatic dialogue in a post on X: “The ministry urgently calls for diplomatic dialogue for peace between the parties involved in the Middle East conflict. In keeping with our constitutional principles of foreign policy and our country’s pacifist conviction, we reiterate our call to de-escalate tensions in the region. The restoration of peaceful coexistence among the states of the region is the highest priority.”
A spokesperson for the Australian government also called for de-escalation, Reuters reported: “We have been clear that Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program has been a threat to international peace and security. We note the US President’s statement that now is the time for peace. The security situation in the region is highly volatile. We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.”
Reactions across the globe are slowly coming in as leaders weigh the impact of the attack.
South Korea’s National Security Council convened on Sunday, with advisor Wi Sung-lac urging “relevant ministries to minimize the impact of the recent series of developments in the Middle,” according to the comments of a presidential spokesperson carried by South Korea news agency Yonhap.
