World Leaders Urge Peace Amid Escalating U.S.-Israel Strikes on Iran
Global leaders are urgently calling for peace and a resumption of diplomatic talks as military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran have heightened concerns about the potential for violence to spread across the Middle East. Tensions have escalated sharply after Iran vowed devastating retaliation following the killing of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death without a designated successor casts Iran's future into profound uncertainty and risks exacerbating a broader regional conflict.
Explosions and Retaliatory Attacks Rock the Region
A massive explosion shook the Iranian capital of Tehran on Sunday morning, with the Israeli military stating it was targeting the heart of the city after previously announcing it had cleared a path to Tehran. Concurrently, Iran pressed forward with its retaliation campaign, as Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain reported intercepting a barrage of missiles. In a significant development, Oman disclosed that an oil tanker in the strategic Strait of Hormuz came under attack, and its port at Duqm, a key logistical hub for the U.S. Navy capable of hosting aircraft carriers, was targeted in a drone strike.
Fears of the conflict spreading were amplified on Sunday when British Defense Minister John Healey revealed that Iranian missile and drone strikes came within a few hundred meters of 300 British military personnel in Bahrain. He further noted that two missiles were fired in the direction of Cyprus, where the U.K. maintains bases, emphasizing the very real and rising threat from Iran. Healey announced that British planes will intercept any Iranian drones and missiles they detect.
International Diplomatic Responses and Condemnations
The United States and Israel launched a major attack against Iran on Saturday, with U.S. President Donald Trump urging the Iranian public to seize control of your destiny by rising against the Islamic theocracy. In response, top diplomats from the 27 European Union nations convened an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the Iranian regime's indiscriminate attacks, warning they risk dragging the region into a broader war and calling for essential de-escalation.
Pope Leo XIV expressed profound concern over the strikes, urging both sides to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss. During a U.N. Security Council meeting on Saturday, Secretary-General António Guterres and many countries called for a halt to attacks and a return to negotiations to prevent further regional expansion. Guterres warned that failure to do so could lead to a wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and stability.
Many nations, cautious about straining relations with the U.S., refrained from direct criticism but condemned Tehran's retaliation. Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the United Arab Emirates' president, urged Iran to deal with your neighbors with reason and responsibility. The 22-nation Arab League labeled Iranian attacks as a blatant violation of sovereignty, while Saudi Arabia privately urged Iran not to target the kingdom after reporting apparent attacks in Riyadh and the eastern region.
Global Condolences and Protests
Russian leader Vladimir Putin blasted Khamenei's killing as a cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a phone call with his Russian counterpart, criticized the actions as violating international law and undermining post-World War II peace foundations. Meanwhile, protests and celebrations erupted worldwide. In Pakistan, at least nine people were killed in clashes after protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, while tens of thousands demonstrated in Indian-controlled Kashmir to denounce Khamenei's death.
Conversely, members of the Iranian diaspora and supporters held celebrations from New York to Berlin, with Iranians in Berlin seen cheering and waving flags of the Iranian monarchy, Israel, and the U.S. These events underscore the deep divisions and heightened tensions as the international community grapples with the escalating crisis.
