Leaders from around the world voiced alarm over the risk of a wider war and a “regional conflagration” in the world’s biggest oil producing region after the US and Israel launched long-feared strikes on Iran.

The assault, which Washington described as targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, triggered swift diplomatic reactions as capitals moved to protect citizens and military assets across the region.

Iran's foreign ministry issued a formal statement within hours of the attack on February 28 stating that the country's armed forces would “defend Iran with full force” against what it called a criminal act of aggression by the US and Israel, calling on the UN Security Council to take immediate action, IRNA reported.

"The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, inspired by the great epic heritage of this land and relying on national strength, will not hesitate for a moment in the wholehearted defence of our dear homeland," the ministry said. "History bears witness that Iranians have never submitted to foreign aggression. This time too, the response of the Iranian nation will be decisive and determining, and will make the aggressors regret their criminal act."

US President Donald Trump confirmed on February 28 that the US military had begun major combat operations against Iran, dubbed “Operation Epic Rage”.

In a video address, he declared that the Islamic Republic would never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon and urged the Iranian people to seize control of their government once strikes were complete, making it clear the goal of the operation is the decapitation of the Islamic State and regime change.

"A short time ago, the US military began major combat operations in Iran," Trump said in an address "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation following coordinated US-Israel military strikes on Tehran on February 28.

"My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short time ago, Israel and the US embarked on an operation to eliminate the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran," Netanyahu stated in a televised address. "I thank our great friend, President Donald Trump, for his historic leadership."

"For 47 years, the ayatollah regime has been shouting 'Death to Israel', 'Death to America'. It has spilt our blood, murdered many Americans, and massacred its own people. This murderous terrorist regime must not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity," Netanyahu continued, adding that the strikes aim to "create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands". 

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah and a prominent opposition figure challenging the Islamic Republic, issued a statement on February 28 on social media platform X calling on Iranians to remain at home for now but prepare to return to the streets to reclaim their country, as US and Israeli strikes continued against the Islamic Republic.

"Dear compatriots, fateful moments lie ahead of us. The help that the President of the US promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived," Pahlavi said in a statement addressed to the Iranian people. "This is a humanitarian intervention, and its target is the Islamic Republic, its apparatus of suppression and its killing machine, not the country and great nation of Iran.”

European reaction

Russia called on its citizens to leave Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan, while former president Dmitry Medvedev said talks with the US had been a “cover”, signalling Moscow’s deep scepticism over Washington’s diplomatic intentions.

The Russian foreign ministry released a statement demanding a political and diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel, the US, and Iran, adding it was ready to facilitate the search for peaceful solutions “based on international law, mutual respect, and a balance of interests”. 

Diplomats declared the attack was a "pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state," carried out in “violation of fundamental principles of international law and under the guise of negotiations”. 

The EU warned that the situation in the region was “perilous” and called for civilians to be protected in any conflict. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged “all parties to exercise restraint,” stressing it was “critical” to “ensure nuclear safety” after the US indicated Iran’s nuclear sites were in its crosshairs.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, announced the withdrawal of the bloc’s non-essential personnel from the region, reflecting concerns that the confrontation could escalate rapidly.

“We call ⁠on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, ‌and to fully respect international law,” she said in a joint statement with European Council ⁠President Antonio Costa. “In close coordination with EU member states, we will take all necessary steps to ensure that ⁠EU citizens in ⁠the region can count on our full support.”

The UK government warned the strikes could expand into a broader Middle East conflict and urged British nationals in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates 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.

France, which maintains several military bases in the region, said it was closely monitoring developments. “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, a deputy defence minister, told France 2 television.

Ukraine linked the escalation directly to Tehran’s domestic and foreign conduct. “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 foreign ministry said.

Belgiam Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said: “The Iranian people must not pay the price for their government’s choices ... We deeply regret that diplomatic efforts could not lead earlier to a negotiated solution.”

Norway’s government said: “The attack is ⁠described by Israel as a preventive strike, but ⁠it is not in line with international law,” Foreign Minister Espen Barth said. “Preventive attacks require an immediately imminent threat.”

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski issued an advisory to Polish citizens in the region and said “Together with our allies, we are monitoring the dramatic, hellishly complicated situation.” 

Czechia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Petr Macinka said he had spoken on the phone with his Israeli counterpart on the morning of February 28. “The main targets of the joint Israeli-American strikes are underground Iranian nuclear facilities and other military sites linked to ballistic missile systems,” Macinka’s statement read. “We expect a larger-scale operation that may last several weeks,” he added. 

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama issued a strongly worded statement saying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “is a terrorist organisation and it must be treated as such”. 

“We stand firm with Israel and with the peace-seeking brotherly Arab countries,” Rama wrote. “ Albania has faced firsthand the barbaric face of the Tehran regime through its cyber aggressions against our country. For us, this is not abstract geopolitics. It is national security, moral and legal clarity.

“Albania will act accordingly. We will call the Revolutionary Guard what it is and list it among terrorist organisations, and we call upon our European friends to do the same.”

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys wrote in a statement on X: “Iran’s destructive behaviour in the region, dangerous nuclear ambitions, support to Russian aggression against #Ukraine and massive internal repressions are unacceptable. We urge restraint and expect return to diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider regional escalation.”

Regional reaction

All of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members that host US military installations were attacked, except Oman.

Qatar's Ministry of Defence claimed on February 28 that it had successfully intercepted all missiles fired at the US controlled Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, the Qatar News Agency reported.  The ministry said threats were engaged immediately upon detection in accordance with a pre-approved security plan, with all missiles destroyed before reaching Qatari soil, that houses the forward headquarters of US Central Command.

The UAE Ministry of Interior issued an extreme alert on February 28 ordering all residents to seek immediate shelter in secure buildings away from windows, doors and open areas, as Iranian missiles targeted the Gulf state in retaliation for the joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. "Due to current situation, a potential missile threat, please immediately take shelter in a secure building away from windows, doors and open areas and await official instructions."

Bahrain also came under attack by Iran, targeting the US Naval Support Activity Bahrain, headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in the Juffair area of Manama. The government warned its citizens to stay home and stock up on essentials.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry has condemned attacks on its soil by Iran which are “in flagrant violation” of its airspace and of international law. Kuwait said it reserves the right to respond in kind in “commensurate with the scale and nature of this attack”. The ministry warned that more military attacks would undermine the region’s stability.

Saudi Arabia condemned in the “strongest terms” the Iranian attacks on the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) warned of “dire consequences” over the continued violation of “state sovereignty and the principles of international law”.

Jordan’s military said its air force was working to protect the kingdom as the strikes continued. A military official said that two ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom’s territory “were successfully intercepted by Jordanian air defence systems”.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned Hezbollah against dragging country into conflict with Israel as the conflict was already spilling over into neighbouring countries as Iran targeted US military assets throughout the region.

"In light of the dangerous developments the region is witnessing, I return and implore all Lebanese people to exercise wisdom and patriotism, placing the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese above any calculation," Salam stated in a post on X. "And I repeat that we will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity."

Global South reaction

The African Union called “for restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue”, warning that further conflict could reverberate far beyond the Middle East. “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, chair of the African Union Commission.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar “strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis”.

Indonesia’s President Prabowo offered to facilitate US-Iran dialogue. “Indonesia deeply regrets the failure of negotiations between US and Iran, which has resulted in military escalation in the Middle East. Indonesia calls on all parties to exercise restraint and to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy,” the foreign ministry wrote on X. “The government of Indonesia, particularly the president of the Republic of Indonesia, expresses his readiness to facilitate dialogue to re-establish a conducive security condition and if agreed by both parties, the president of Indonesia is willing to travel to Tehran to conduct mediation.”

Asia & Oceania reaction

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim used social media platform X to say “Israel’s initiation of these strikes was a vile attempt to sabotage ongoing negotiations and to drag other nations into a conflict that could prove impossible to contain. An immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities is imperative.” 

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, also on X, said: "Today, Israel announced it had launched a preemptive attack on Iran. It was later announced that the United States would also participate. Given these concerns, we have been taking precautions against any eventuality, suchas evacuating Japanese nationals early on. The government of Japan will remain prepared for anu risks and take all possible measures."

South Korea's foreign ministry was reported as saying "The government calls on all parties involved to make utmost efforts to ease tensions in the region". 

Taiwan's President William Lai said “Following US & Israeli strikes on Iran today, my nat'l security team has briefed me on the latest developments. We're monitoring the situation closely. Taiwan has adopted measures to ensure the safety of citizens in the region while maintaining close contact with global partners.”

The Philippines President Bongbong Marcos also took to X, saying: "We have received reports of airstrikes which hit Iran. We are in the process of getting more information. In the meantime, the safety of Filipino citizens in Iran and in the Middle East is paramount. I have instructed the [Department of Foreign Affairs] DFA and the [Department of Migrant Workers] DMW to take measures to determine their whereabouts in affected areas and to take immediate measures to ensure their safety."

Cambodia's embassy in Israel informed its nationals in the country of the increased security threat before advising them to follow instructions issued by the Israeli authorities.

Thailand and Nepal issued travel advisories as did India. China issued a similar advisory on February 27, but at time of writing, neither New Delhi nor Beijing had made any additional statements.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was open in his support for the US, saying “We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security.”