Arab nations condemn Israeli attack on Iran, urge international community to prevent conflict

Riyadh: Several Arab countries on Friday issued strong condemnation of Israel’s attack on Iran early on Friday, which has significantly escalated tensions in the region and raised the spectre of a broader conflict between the long-standing rivals.

“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 norms. While the Kingdom condemns these heinous attacks, it affirms that the international community and the Security Council bear a great responsibility to immediately halt this aggression,” read a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The attacks come amid mounting concerns over Tehran’s nuclear programme and its perceived threat to Israeli national security.

In a televised statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had initiated a “targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed the importance of exercising the utmost self-restraint and judgment to mitigate risks and prevent the expansion of the conflict.

“The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms Israel’s military targeting of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and expressed its deep concern over the ongoing escalation and its repercussions on regional security and stability,” read the statement

“The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s position that enhancing dialogue, adhering to international law, and respecting the sovereignty of states constitute essential principles for resolving the current crises. The UAE emphasised the need to resolve disputes through diplomatic means rather than confrontation and escalation, and called on the United Nations Security Council to take urgent and necessary measures to achieve a ceasefire, and to reinforce international peace and security,” it added.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the international community to shoulder responsibility in halting the violations to preserve security and stability in the region.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the State of Kuwait’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran, which constitute a flagrant violation of all international laws and conventions, constitute a blatant assault on Iranian sovereignty, and endanger the security and stability of the region. The State of Kuwait renews its call to the international community, particularly the Security Council, to shoulder their responsibilities in halting these violations in a manner that preserves the security and stability of the region,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Condemning the attack, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that the escalating tensions threaten the security and stability of the region.

“The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan strongly condemned the Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, describing it as a blatant violation of the sovereignty of a member state of the United Nations and a clear breach of the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter,” said the Jordan Foreign Ministry.

“The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ambassador Sufian Al-Qudah, warned of the repercussions of such escalatory violations, which threaten the security and stability of the region and heighten tensions. Al-Qudah reiterated the need to respect international law and the responsibility of the international community—especially the UN Security Council—to take urgent action to stop these aggressions, prevent their recurrence, and reach solutions that avoid further tension and escalation,” it added.

IANS