Arab states erupt in condemnation after US strikes on Iran
DUBAI: Arab countries on Sunday strongly condemned the US air strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran, warning of serious repercussions and calling for a return to diplomacy.
Iran's former arch-rival in the region, Saudi Arabia, which has been engaged in a Chinese-brokered detente with Tehran since 2023, expressed 'great concern' over the attacks.
Gulf countries have been engaged in a diplomatic frenzy for solutions since Israel launched its air campaign on their neighbour Iran on June 13.
Many of the oil-rich countries host major US assets and bases and fear that a spillover from the war could threaten their security and economy.
Qatar, host of the biggest US military base in the Middle East, said it feared 'catastrophic consequences' for the region and the entire world.
Trump says Iran's key nuclear sites 'obliterated' by US airstrikes
Yemen's Houthi rebels repeated threats to target US vessels and warships in the Red Sea after the overnight strikes, describing them as a 'war declaration' on the Iranian people.
On Saturday, the Iran-backed group threatened to resume attacks on US vessels and warships in the Red Sea despite a recent Oman-mediated truce, should Washington strike Iran.
US President Donald Trump said the attacks destroyed Iran's main nuclear sites, describing them as a 'spectacular military success'.
But his allies in the Gulf, who neighbour Iran, were urging a return to diplomacy.
Oman, which was mediating nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran, strongly condemned the US strikes labelling them illegal and calling for immediate deescalation.
The United Arab Emirates expressed concern after the attack, calling for 'an immediate end to the escalation'.
Bahrain, home to a major US naval base, told most of its government employees to work from home until further notice following the escalation.
The US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which covers the region, is based in Bahrain.
Kuwait said its finance ministry had activated an emergency plan that includes readying shelters.
The Palestinian group Hamas condemned what it called 'blatant US aggression' against Iran.
Iraq, which also hosts US bases, expressed 'deep concern and strong condemnation' of the attacks, government spokesperson Basim Alawadi said, labelling them 'a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East'.
Fears are growing in Iraq over a possible intervention by Iran-backed armed factions, who have threatened Washington's interests in the region if it were to join Israel in its war against Iran.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, largely seen as close to the United States, urged both sides to resume talks to restore stability in the region.
The country has been reeling from a destructive conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group over the Gaza war, which ended with a fragile truce last November despite frequent Israeli attacks on the group.
Egypt also condemned the escalation in Iran, warning of 'dangerous repercussions' for the region and calling for diplomacy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
25 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Iran's top security body to decide on Strait of Hormuz closure after US strikes
Strait of Hormuz also dubbed as energy corridor as millions of barrels of oil move from one part to another from here. PHOTO: REUTERS Iran's Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz following US bombing raids, Iran's Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure. Iran has long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas demand flows, as a way to ward off Western pressure which is now at its peak after the overnight US strikes on its nuclear facilities. The decision to close the strait is not yet final and it was not officially reported that parliament had in fact adopted a bill to that effect. Instead, a member of parliament's national security commission Esmail Kosari was quoted on other Iranian media as saying: 'For now, [parliament has] come to the conclusion we should close the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision in this regard is the responsibility of the Supreme National Security Council.' Kosari, who is also a Revolutionary Guards Commander, had earlier on Sunday told the Young Journalist Club that closing the strait was on the agenda and 'will be done whenever necessary'. Asked about whether Tehran would close the waterway, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dodged the question on Sunday and replied: 'A variety of options are available to Iran.' The strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Mideast Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond. It is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest point, with the shipping lane just 2 miles (3 km) wide in either direction.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
US B-2 bombers used Indian airspace to attack Iran's nuclear facilities
Listen to article US B-2 stealth bombers reportedly used Indian airspace to carry out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to regional sources cited in multiple reports on Sunday. Sources claimed the US Air Force's strategic bombers departed from Guam Island in the western Pacific, passed over the Andaman Sea, and then traversed central Indian airspace before reaching their strike zone near Iran via the Arabian Sea. The route reportedly covered coordinates including 15°N, 145°E (Guam), through 10°N, 95°–100°E (Andaman Sea), crossing 20°N, 75°–80°E (central India), and reaching the vicinity of 25°–30°N, 60°–65°E (near Iran's borders). The development comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following recent US airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites — an escalation triggered by over a week of Israeli aggression, according to Iran. Defence analysts have called this a potentially significant signal of India's evolving strategic role in the region. 'The reported use of Indian airspace by US bombers could mark a new chapter in the regional security calculus,' one analyst told local media. There has been no official confirmation from the Indian government or the US military regarding the use of Indian airspace for these operations. Washington enters Iran conflict US forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said in a televised speech late on June 21 and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace. The US strikes included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top US general, General Dan Caine, said was named "Operation Midnight." After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military invasion against its major rival Iran is a major escalation of the assault and risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East. "A short time ago, we carried out massive precision strikes on three nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime," announced Trump. Read More: Tehran vows self-defence with 'all force' after US strikes three nuclear installations The strikes were a spectacular military success," Trump said in the White House televised address. "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned a US military strike on its nuclear facilities, calling the action an unprecedented breach of international law and a grave violation of the UN Charter. In a statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran accused the United States of a 'brutal military aggression' against its peaceful nuclear infrastructure. Tehran held Washington fully responsible for what it called a 'heinous crime' and warned of 'dangerous consequences' stemming from the attack.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
No radioactive risk detected in Gulf after US strikes on Iran, say watchdogs
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait said on Sunday that no radioactive contamination has been detected across the Gulf region following US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. In a statement posted on social media platform X, Saudi Arabia's Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission confirmed that environmental monitoring showed 'no radioactive effects' in the Kingdom or neighbouring Arab Gulf states. Kuwait's National Guard issued a similar statement, noting that radiation levels in the country's airspace and waters remain 'stable' and that the situation is 'normal.' The reassurance from Gulf states came as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the targeted Iranian facilities at Isfahan contained little or no nuclear material, limiting the risk of radioactive contamination. According to the IAEA, the strikes damaged six buildings in addition to four previously hit structures, but these sites either held no nuclear material or only small quantities of natural or low-enriched uranium. "The facilities targeted today either contained no nuclear material or small quantities of natural or low enriched uranium, meaning any radioactive contamination is limited to the buildings that were damaged or destroyed," the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement. The US strikes came in response to recent attacks by Israel, intensifying regional tensions and drawing condemnation from Iran and Russia. Despite concerns over escalation, initial assessments suggest minimal nuclear risk to the surrounding region.
