WORLD LEADERS WARN OF REGIONAL CONFLICT AFTER US, ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN
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Agency report
Countries across the Middle East and the world expressed concern over a potential regional conflagration after the United States and Israel carried out long-feared strikes on Iran on Saturday.
Russia: Talks a ‘cover’
Russia urged its citizens to leave Iran, with former president Dmitry Medvedev saying that negotiations with the United States had merely been “a cover.”
“The peacekeeper is at it again,” Medvedev, now chair of Russia’s Security Council, said on X.
“The talks with Iran were just a cover. Everyone knew that. So who has more patience to wait for the enemy’s sorry end now?” he added.
Qatar: ‘secure’
Qatar, which hosts a US military base, initially reported that it remained secure after the US and Israeli attacks on neighboring Iran but said it was closely monitoring developments.
A Qatari official later told AFP that its defence systems had intercepted an Iranian missile, and the defence ministry said it had repelled “a number of attacks.”
EU: ‘perilous’
The European Union warned that the situation in the region was “perilous” and called for the protection of civilians in any ensuing conflict.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, on X, urged “all parties to exercise restraint,” stressing it was “critical” to “ensure nuclear safety” following US indications that Iran’s nuclear sites were targeted.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the situation as dangerous and announced the withdrawal of the bloc’s non-essential personnel from the region.
UK: Avoid ‘wider conflict’
The UK government expressed concern that the strikes could escalate into a broader Middle East conflict and advised its citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE to seek shelter.
“We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,” a government spokesperson said, adding that the UK’s “immediate priority” was the safety of its citizens in the region.
Shah’s son: ‘final victory’ near
Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent critic of Tehran, said that “we are very close to final victory” following the strikes.
“I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran,” Pahlavi, who lives in exile near Washington, said in a message to Iranians.
Jordan: Protect skies
Jordan’s military said its air force was active on Saturday to protect the kingdom and its citizens amid the strikes.
A military official reported that two ballistic missiles targeting Jordanian territory “were successfully intercepted by Jordanian air defence systems.”
Ukraine: Iran at fault
Ukraine blamed the Iranian government’s “violence against its own people and other countries” for triggering the US and Israeli strikes.
“The reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry said.
France: Safety a priority
France, which has military bases in Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan, said the safety of its citizens was the top priority.
“Obviously our priority in these sort of cases is the protection of our nationals, the protection of our forces in the region and the monitoring of the situation in real time, which we are doing,” Alice Rufo, deputy defence minister, told France 2 television.
African Union: Stability at risk
The African Union called “for restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue” after the strikes, warning that conflict could negatively affect people across the continent.
“Further escalation risks worsening global instability, with serious implications for energy markets, food security, and economic resilience — particularly in Africa, where conflict and economic pressures remain acute,” said Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, head of the AU.
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