While many countries in the Middle East condemned Israel for its attack on Iran, Western nations such as those in Europe limited their response to urging restraint from both sides.
On June 13 (local time), the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement declaring, "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces Israel's act of aggression against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran." The statement continued, "Israel's attack infringes upon Iran's sovereignty and security and constitutes a clear violation of international law and international norms."
Oman, through the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the state-run Oman News Agency, stated, "Oman considers this action a dangerous and reckless escalation of tensions," adding that it "constitutes a blatant violation of the UN Charter and the principles of international law," as the government's official position.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also strongly condemned Israel's targeting of Iran as a military objective in a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressing serious concern about its impact on regional security. The Qatari government, through the state-run Qatar News Agency, asserted that "(Israel) has blatantly violated Iran's sovereignty" and called it "a clear violation of international law."
In addition, Egypt, Jordan, and Pakistan also raised their voices in condemnation of Israel through official statements.
Western countries called for restraint. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, when asked about the matter during a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, stated, "Because this was a unilateral action by Israel, I believe it is very important that many allies, including the United States, are making efforts to de-escalate tensions."
The British daily Telegraph reported that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Israel's attack on Iran as "concerning" and urged "all parties to step back and quickly de-escalate tensions," adding, "Escalation helps no one in the region."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on X, "We urge all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation that could undermine regional stability," but added, "We reaffirm Israel's right to self-defense against any attack."
The United Nations, in a statement issued by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said, "We condemn any military escalation of tensions in the Middle East," and expressed particular concern over Israel's attack on nuclear facilities at a time when Iran and the United States are engaged in dialogue regarding the status of Iran's nuclear program. New Zealand, Australia, and Japan also issued messages calling for restraint from both sides.
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