Saudi Arabia leads Arab condemnation of Israel attacks on Iran
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led Arab condemnation Israel's strikes on Iran early on Friday, which targeted multiple sites it linked to the country's nuclear program and killed at least two top military officers, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries.
The strikes killed Hossein Salami, the chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, along with another top IRGC official and two nuclear scientists in the initial raids.
It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.
Saudi Arabia was the first Arab nation to speak out against the attacks, stating that the Kingdom 'expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security and constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The statement added: 'While the Kingdom condemns these heinous attacks, it affirms that the international community and the (UN) Security Council bear a great responsibility to immediately halt this aggression.'
#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security and constitute a clear violation of international laws and… pic.twitter.com/OYuWXwiE5y
— Foreign Ministry (@KSAmofaEN) June 13, 2025
The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program and appeared certain to trigger a reprisal, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning that 'severe punishment' would be directed at Israel. Hours later, Israel's military said it had begun intercepting Iranian drones launched in retaliation.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military operation on Iran would 'continue for as many days as it takes' to 'roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival.'
Israel has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meanwhile warned that Israel would suffer severe consequences after the deadly attacks.
'With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it,' Khamenei said in a statement.
Early speculation as to how aware US President Donald Trump was of the attacks soon came to an end after telling Fox News he had received 'advanced notice', stating that 'Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see.'
Iran later said it would not be attending talks scheduled to take place in Oman.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
30 minutes ago
- Arab News
Pakistan calls for united Muslim strategy to counter Israel, pledges diplomatic support to Iran
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday urged Muslim nations to adopt a unified strategy to counter Israel, warning that failure to act collectively would leave them vulnerable, as he expressed full diplomatic support to Iran in a speech to the National Assembly following Israeli strikes. Israel launched surprise attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in the early hours of Friday amid Tehran's negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program. The strikes killed several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, according to Iranian media, and also caused civilian casualties. Israel, at war in the region since October 2023, initially launched a military campaign against Gaza following a Hamas assault, which the Palestinian group said was retaliation for decades of oppression. Since then, the Israeli government has expanded its military operations to neighboring Muslim states such as Syria and Lebanon before targeting Iran. Pakistan condemned the Israeli action and said Iran had the right to defend itself under international law. 'Just as Israel is currently targeting Yemen, Iran, and Palestine, if the Muslim world does not unite today and continues to prioritize its own interests and agendas, then everyone's turn will come,' Asif told lawmakers. 'An OIC meeting should be convened, and all Muslim countries must come together to devise a strategy through which Israel can be confronted collectively,' he continued. 'There is a need for an initiative that reflects the unity of the Islamic world. Wherever there are diplomatic ties with Israel in the Muslim world, they should be severed.' The Pakistani minister added the Muslim world remained 'militarily vulnerable' and voiced what he described as Pakistan's unwavering solidarity with Iran. Later in the day, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told the assembly Pakistan had presented a 'robust position' at the United Nations Security Council a day earlier, where it denounced the Israeli strikes. He said Iran's permanent representative at the world body had acknowledged and praised Pakistan's support. Tarar reiterated that under the UN Charter, Iran had the right to self-defense and emphasized that Pakistan had consistently condemned the suffering of Palestinians. 'The Palestinian cause is close to our hearts,' he said. 'We have always raised our voice for our Palestinian brothers and sisters at every international forum.' The Iranian foreign ministry announced earlier in the day it would no longer take part in planned nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, calling them 'meaningless' while Israeli attacks continued. 'It is obvious that in such circumstances and until the Zionist regime's aggression against the Iranian nation stops, it would be meaningless to participate in dialogue with a party that is the biggest supporter and accomplice of the aggressor,' an Iranian spokesperson said according to international wire agencies. Israel's defense minister also warned 'Tehran will burn' if Iran continued to launch missiles at Israeli cities. Iran had retaliated on Friday night by launching a barrage of missiles at Israel, with explosions lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A day earlier, Pakistan's envoy to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, condemned Israel's strike on Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure, calling it a violation of international law. 'Iran has the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter,' he said, urging all sides to avoid further escalation and emphasizing the need to resolve tensions through diplomacy.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Iran media says two IRGC members killed in Israel strike
Two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed on Saturday in an Israeli strike on a base in central Iran, the Tasnim news agency reported. 'Following the brutal attack by the Zionist regime on the Zarandiyeh Basij base, two members of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were martyred,' the news agency said, citing the IRGC. Iranian media also reported a police chief and another officer were killed in drone strike Saturday, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) west of Tehran, as Israel kept up its air campaign against the Islamic Republic for a second day. 'This morning police chief Major Habibollah Akbarian, along with second lieutenant Amir Hossein Seifi, were martyred by a drone strike in Asadabad city in the western province of Hamedan,' the ISNA press agency reported.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
We will recognize the State of Palestine soon, Macron tells Asharq News
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron pledged, in statements to Asharq News on the sidelines of a meeting with journalists and representatives of Palestinian and Israeli civil society institutions, that his country will recognize the State of Palestine at an upcoming conference that France will organize with Saudi Arabia in New York. In response to a question about whether there are conditions for recognizing the Palestinian state, Macron said: 'There are no conditions. Recognition will take place through a process that includes stopping the war on Gaza, restoring humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, releasing Israeli hostages, and disarming Hamas.' He stressed: 'This is one package.' Macron indicated that France and Saudi Arabia have agreed to postpone the UN conference they are co-organizing, which was originally scheduled to take place in New York next week. He noted that current developments have prevented Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from traveling to New York. Macron explained that he had spoken several times with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday and Palestinian President Abbas, and it was agreed to 'postpone the meeting to a date in the near future.' He also claimed that the president of Indonesia, which currently does not officially recognize Israel, had pledged to do so if France recognizes the State of Palestine. Macron emphasized 'the need for maintaining this dynamic.' The International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, scheduled to be held in New York from June 17-20 and co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, outlined in its paper a commitment to the 'two-state solution' as the foundational reference. The paper defines a timeline for implementation, outlines the practical obligations of all parties involved, and calls for the establishment of international mechanisms to ensure the continuity of the process. Asharq News obtained a copy of the paper, which asserts that the implementation of the two-state solution must proceed regardless of local or regional developments. It ensures the full recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a political solution that upholds people's rights and responds to their aspirations for peace and security. The paper highlights that the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and the war on Gaza have led to an unprecedented escalation in violence and casualties, resulting in the most severe humanitarian crisis to date, widespread destruction, and immense suffering for civilians on both sides, including detainees, their families, and residents of Gaza. It further confirms that settlement activities pose a threat to the two-state solution, which it states is the only path to achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the region. The paper notes that the settlement activities undermine regional and international peace, security, and prosperity. According to the paper, the conference aims to alter the current course by building on national, regional, and international initiatives and adopting concrete measures to uphold international law. The conference will also focus on advancing a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace that ensures security for all the people of the region and fosters regional integration. The conference reaffirms the international community's unwavering commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution, highlighting the urgent need to act in pursuit of these objectives.
