Israeli security forces and first responders gather at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential area in the Ramat Aviv area of Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025. (Credit: Jack Guez/AFP)
World leaders and regional actors reacted Sunday to the United States' overnight strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a move that marks Washington’s official entry into the ongoing war between Israel and the Islamic Republic.
Iran: ‘Eternal consequences’
“This morning’s events are outrageous and will have eternal consequences,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, denouncing what he called the United States’ “extremely dangerous, anarchic, and criminal behavior.”
“Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interests, and people,” he added.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran called the strikes a “barbaric act that violates international law” and vowed that Iran would not allow “the path of development” of its nuclear program to be halted “despite the evil plots of its enemies.”
Israel: ‘Historic turning point’ and a promise fulfilled
“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the impressive and just power of the United States will change history,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message thanking President Donald Trump.
Calling the attacks a “historic turning point,” Netanyahu said they could “lead the Middle East and beyond toward a future of prosperity and peace.” He repeated a shared slogan: “Peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes peace.”
United Nations: ‘Dangerous escalation’
“This is a dangerous escalation in an already precarious region—and a direct threat to global peace and security,” warned U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
European Union: Call to ‘step back’
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged “all parties to step back, return to the negotiating table, and avoid further escalation.”
She emphasized that “Iran must not develop nuclear weapons,” adding that EU foreign ministers would discuss the situation Monday.
United Kingdom: Iran must return to talks
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Iran “must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon” and called for it to “return to the negotiating table.”
“The United States has taken steps to mitigate this threat,” he said on X, stressing that “regional stability is a priority.”
U.S. Democrats: ‘A potentially disastrous war’
“President Trump has misled the country about his intentions,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a leading House Democrat. “He has not sought Congress’s approval for the use of military force and risks involving Americans in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.”
Saudi Arabia: ‘Great concern’
Riyadh said it was “following with great concern the developments in the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States,” according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Oman: Call for ‘immediate de-escalation’
Oman, a key mediator between the U.S. and Iran in past nuclear negotiations, condemned the strikes as “illegal aggression” and called for “immediate de-escalation.”
“This action threatens to widen the scope of the war and constitutes a serious violation of international law,” said a Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Iraq: Warning of regional instability
The Iraqi government condemned the U.S. strikes, calling them a “military escalation” that “threatens security and peace in the Middle East” and “seriously jeopardizes regional stability.”
“Military solutions cannot replace dialogue and diplomacy,” said government spokesman Bassem Alawadi, warning that continued strikes “would lead to a dangerous escalation whose repercussions would exceed the borders of any state.”
Houthi rebels: ‘Declaration of war’
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels called the U.S. strikes a “declaration of war” against the Iranian people and said they were prepared to “target U.S. ships and facilities in the Red Sea.”
Hamas: ‘Criminal aggression’
The Palestinian group Hamas, which has been at war with Israel in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, condemned what it called a “criminal aggression.”
In a statement on Telegram, the group described the strike as “a flagrant example of the policy of imposing hegemony by force, an aggression based on the law of the jungle, and a violation of all international norms and conventions.”