Turkey airs 'deep concern' as Saudi Arabia, Russia condemn US strikes in Iran

PARIS, BEIRUT — Reaction to the United States’ overnight strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities ranged from cautious concern to outright condemnation. Saudi Arabia denounced the move as a “violation of the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” while countries such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates expressed “deep concern” over the escalation.

The US military joined the Israel-Iran war on Saturday by launching strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites ( Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan) in an unprecedented escalation between Washington and Tehran. The conflict between Israel and Iran started when the Israeli military hit Iranian targets on June 13. According to Iran’s health minister, Israeli strikes have killed at least 400 people and injured around 3,000. The death toll in Israel from Iran’s retaliatory strikes remains at 25.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the US action “outrageous” and vowed during a meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul that his country would defend itself against both US and Israeli aggression. Regional countries, meanwhile, expressed caution and deep concern over the developments.

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X that it was “following with deep concern” developments in Iran and “particularly the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities” by the United States. It added, “The Kingdom reaffirms the contents of its statement issued on June 13, 2025 [beginning of Israeli strikes in Iran]in which it condemned and denounced the violation of the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Iraq

Iran’s top regional ally, Iraq, issued a stronger statement, openly condemning the attacks as the Israel-Iran conflict entered its second week. “This military escalation constitutes a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East and poses serious risks to regional stability,” government spokesman Basim Alawadi said. Baghdad called for an end to the attacks and a return to diplomacy.

Iran’s Proxies

A Yemeni Houthi official warned that the group’s response to the US strikes was “only a matter of time.”

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group engaged in war with Israel in Gaza, condemned “in the strongest terms the blatant American aggression.” It added, “This brutal aggression constitutes a dangerous escalation, a blind pursuit of the rogue Zionist occupation’s agendas.”

“We consider it a glaring example of the policy of imposing hegemony through the logic of force, an aggression based on the law of the jungle,” Hamas said in a statement.

Turkey

Iran’s northern neighbor and a NATO ally of the United States, Turkey refrained from directly criticizing Washington. Its Foreign Ministry said Ankara “is deeply concerned about the possible consequences of the US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.”

“The regional conflict could escalate to a global level,” the statement warned.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE expressed “deep concern” over the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities and called for an “immediate halt to escalation to avoid serious repercussions.”

In a statement, the Emirati Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes and urged the international community to address these “sensitive and dangerous developments.”

Egypt

Echoing those concerns, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned the escalation, warning it “threatens to have serious consequences for regional and international peace and security.”

“Egypt affirms its rejection of any violation of the UN Charter and international law and stresses the need to respect the sovereignty of states,” the statement read, calling for “de-escalation, restraint, and the adoption of dialogue to preserve civilian lives and safeguard the security and stability of the region.”

Oman

Oman, which had been mediating indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran prior to the conflict, also condemned the escalation “resulting from the direct airstrikes conducted by the US on sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“The Sultanate of Oman deplores this illegal aggression and calls for immediate and comprehensive de-escalation,” the Foreign Ministry said, warning the strikes risk widening the conflict and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter.

Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites threatens regional security and stability.

In a statement issued by the presidency, Aoun urged restraint and a return to 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,” he said. “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.”

Concerns are growing in Lebanon over possible retaliation by Hezbollah — as occurred on October 8, 2023, when it launched rockets toward Israel in support of Hamas, triggering a 13-month war. The Iran-backed group has not yet commented on Sunday’s US strikes.

Russia

Russia strongly condemned the US strikes, saying they threaten to undermine regional and global security and raise the risk of further escalation in an already volatile Middle East.

“The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb strikes, no matter what arguments are used to justify it, grossly violates international law,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

China

China also condemned the United States for the “bombing of [Iran’s] nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the IAEA,” according to a statement posted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on X. The United States’ actions “violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East,” the statement read. It urged all parties—”Israel in particular”—to reach a ceasefire “as soon as possible” and to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

Pakistan

Another of Iran’s neighbors, Pakistan, said the US attacks “violate all norms of international law” and affirmed that Iran has “the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN charter.”

International organizations

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged de-escalation in a post on X. He said he was “gravely alarmed” by the US use of force and warned the conflict could spiral out of control with “catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region and the world.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency said there have been no reports of increased off-site radiation levels. Its chief, Rafael Grossi, announced an emergency meeting for Monday “in light of the urgent situation in Iran.”