Israel's strikes against Iran: How did Pakistan, Saudi and other nations react?
Israel's attack on Iran: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply worried by the recent act of Israeli aggression against Iran.”
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Saturday condemned Israel’s latest strikes on Iran's military sites, carried out to avenge the October 1 ballistic missile attack by Tehran.
Meanwhile, an official from US President Joe Biden's administration said that the strikes are a proportional response to Tehran's earlier attack on Israel.
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Israel’s military released a statement on Saturday confirming "precise strikes on military targets in Iran" as a response to what it described as "months of continuous attacks by the Iranian regime."
Despite the retaliatory strikes, Israel appeared to avoid hitting Iran's critical oil and nuclear sites, reportedly due to urgent calls from allies and neighbouring nations urging restraint.
Israel's military said that multiple fighter jets conducted three waves of strikes before dawn on missile factories and other sites and cautioned Iran against retaliation. Iran claimed its air defences successfully intercepted the attack, though it reported two soldiers killed and minor damage to some facilities. A semi-official Iranian news agency indicated that Iran would respond "proportionally" to Israel's actions, Reuters reported.
How did Pakistan, Saudi, UAE and Iraq react?
Pakistan: Pakistan's foreign ministry issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s strikes on Iran, saying, “Pakistan strongly condemns Israel’s strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran. These strikes undermine the path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region."
“Israel bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict. We call on the UN Security Council to play its role in the maintenance of international peace and security and to take immediate steps to bring an end to Israeli recklessness in the region and its criminal behaviour,” the Islamabad statement added.
Pakistan, which shares a lengthy border with Iran and is allied with the United States, a principal supporter of Israel.
Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was "deeply worried by the recent act of Israeli aggression against Iran."
In a post on social media platform X, Shehbaz Sharif said, “Pakistan stands alongside Iran and its neighbouring countries in the pursuit of peace and calls on all sides to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation.”
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia condemned Israel’s strikes on Iranian military targets, warning against further conflict escalation. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation" of the Israeli strikes, reiterating its commitment to preventing escalation in the region, which threatens regional security and stability, according to a statement on X from the Saudi foreign ministry.
United Arab Emirates (UAE): The UAE foreign ministry issued a statement on its website condemning Israel’s strikes on Iran and voicing concern over the heightened regional tensions. It called for "the highest levels of restraint and wisdom" to prevent the risk of further escalation and conflict expansion.
Iraq: In a statement, Iraq’s prime minister's office criticised Israel’s ongoing “aggressive actions and escalation of conflict in the region,” specifically highlighting the airstrikes against Iran as part of Israel's broader hostile policies. The statement reiterated Iraq's commitment to advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, urging international and regional cooperation to restore stability.
What did the US and UK say?
A senior official from the Biden administration said that Israel’s strikes on Iran's military sites seemed to be a measured and targeted response to Iran’s earlier attacks, with minimal risk to civilians. The official said that this should mark the end of direct hostilities between Israel and Iran, emphasising that the US has several direct and indirect channels for communication with Iran, through which it has conveyed its stance.
"Should Iran choose to respond, we are fully prepared to defend Israel and support Israel, and there will be consequences should Iran make that unfortunate decision," the official said. "But as far as we're concerned, this direct exchange, this should be the end of it."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression. I'm equally clear that we need to avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to show restraint. Iran should not respond.”
(With Reuters inputs)
