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Nations react to US strikes on Iran with calls for diplomacy

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22nd June, 2025 15:04 IST

The US strike on Iran fuelled fears that Israel's war with Tehran could escalate to a wider regional conflict, and other countries began reacting on Sunday, 22 June, with calls for diplomacy and words of caution.

US President Donald Trump had said on Thursday that he would decide within two weeks whether to get involved. In the end, it took just days, and Washington inserted itself into Israel's campaign with its early Sunday attack.

It remained unclear early on how much damage had been inflicted, but Iran had pledged to retaliate if the US joined the Israeli assault. Some have questioned whether a weakened Iran would capitulate or remain defiant and begin striking with allies at US targets scattered across the Gulf region.

Here is a look at reactions from governments and officials around the world.

Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said 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 before, that it has paid a heavy price for the wars that erupted on its land and in the region,” Aoun said in a statement on X.

“It is unwilling to pay more, and there is no national interest in doing so, especially since the cost of these wars was and will be greater than its ability to bear.”

United States steps into Iran-Israel war, strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites

Lebanon's new leadership, which came after Israel and the Hezbollah's militant group's devastating war, has urged that the country avoids being dragged into more conflict as it tries to rebuild itself and pull itself from years-long economic crisis.

Hezbollah has not taken military action against Israel in solidarity with its key ally Iran in the conflict, but has not yet commented on Washington's overnight strikes.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that Lebanon needs to stay away from any possible regional spillover from the conflict.

“It is increasingly important for us to adhere strictly to the supreme national interest, which is the need to avoid Lebanon being ... drawn into the ongoing regional confrontation in any way,” Salam said in a post on X.

United Nations

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said he was “gravely alarmed” by the use of force by the United States.

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” he said in a statement on the social media platform X. “I call on Member States to de-escalate.”

“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy.”

United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for Iran to return to the negotiating table to diplomatically end the crisis, saying stability was the priority in the volatile region.

The UK, along with the European Union, France and Germany, tried unsuccessfully to broker a diplomatic solution in Geneva last week with Iran.

Starmer said Iran's nuclear programme posed a grave threat to global security. “Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat," Starmer said.

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New Zealand

New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters urged “all parties to return to talks”. He wouldn't tell reporters Sunday whether New Zealand supported President Trump's actions, saying they had only just happened.

The three-time foreign minister said the crisis is “the most serious I've ever dealt with" and that it was “critical further escalation is avoided”.

“Diplomacy will deliver a more enduring resolution than further military action,” he said.

Hamas and the Houthis

Both the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hamas have condemned the US strikes. The Houthis vowed to support Iran in its fight against “the Zionist and American aggression”.

In a statement on Sunday, the Houthi political bureau called on Muslim nations to join “the Jihad and resistance option as one front against the Zionist-American arrogance”.

Hamas and the Houthis are part of Iran's so-called “Axis of Resistance”, the collection of pro-Iranian proxies stretching from Yemen to Lebanon that for years gave Iran considerable power across the region.

China

A flash commentary from China's government-run media asked whether the US is "repeating its Iraq mistake in Iran”.

The online piece by CGTN, the foreign-language arm of the state broadcaster, said the US strikes mark a dangerous turning point.

“History has repeatedly shown that military interventions in the Middle East often produce unintended consequences, including prolonged conflicts and regional destabilisation,” it said, citing the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.

It said a measured, diplomatic approach that prioritises dialogue over military confrontation offers the best hope for stability in the Middle East.

South Korea

South Korea's presidential office held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the potential security and economic ramifications of the US strikes.

National security director, Wi Sung-lac, asked officials to coordinate closely to minimise any negative impacts on South Korea, emphasising that the top priority is ensuring the safety of the South Korean people and the continuation of their stable daily lives, according to the presidential office.

Japan

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters Sunday it was crucial to calm the situation as soon as possible, adding that the Iranian nuclear weapons development also must be prevented.

Ishiba, asked if he supports the US attacks on Iran, declined to comment. He was speaking to reporters after an emergency meeting with officials from key ministries over the US military action.

Ishiba said officials are still assessing details and doing their utmost to protect the safety of the Japanese nationals in Iran, Israel and elsewhere in the region.

While the US attacks on Iran do not affect Japan's stable energy supply for the time being, Ishiba said, he has instructed officials to “watch the development with a sense of urgency and take every precaution” to prevent an increase in oil and utility costs ahead of the summer when energy demand rises.

Any conflict in the Middle East is a concern for resource-scarce Japan, most of whose oil imports come from the region.

Meanwhile, Japan's largest-circulation newspaper Yomiuri has distributed an extra edition on the attack in Tokyo.

Australia

Australia, which shuttered its embassy in Tehran and evacuated staff Friday, pushed for a diplomatic end to the conflict.

“We have been clear that Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programme has been a threat to international peace and security,” a government official said in a written statement. “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.”

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