On June 21–22, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States had conducted air and missile strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites—including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—as part of a coordinated military operation amid ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. Trump described the operation as a “very successful” and “spectacular military success,” claiming the nuclear enrichment facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated” and urging Iran to make peace to avoid further attacks.
Iran’s leadership strongly condemned the U.S. strikes as a violation of international law and a gross act of aggression. Iranian officials—including Foreign Ministry representatives and the Atomic Energy Organization—argued that the attacks targeted what they consider peaceful nuclear infrastructure and accused the United States of ignoring international norms. Tehran warned of serious “everlasting consequences” and vowed retaliation, hinting at possible military responses targeting U.S. interests if hostilities continued.
Israel publicly supported the strikes, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials framing the action as historic and necessary to blunt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Israel’s praise emphasized security cooperation with the U.S. and the strategic benefit of weakening Tehran’s nuclear program. Meanwhile, some U.S. allies called for caution and restraint rather than outright support. Certain NATO partners and Western governments endorsed de-escalation and the pursuit of diplomacy even as they acknowledged concerns about nuclear proliferation.
Major global powers and non‑Western countries reacted critically: China condemned the strikes as violations of the UN Charter and urged all parties — especially Israel — to halt further escalation and return to diplomatic channels. Russia and countries like Venezuela and Cuba also criticized the U.S. action as destabilizing. Latin American leaders, including Chile’s president, emphasized that military escalation is not a path to peace and called for immediate de‑escalation.
Across the Middle East, Saudi Arabia expressed concern over rising instability, warning that the conflict could spread further if not contained. Regional actors aligned with Iran, including the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, condemned the U.S. attacks, framing them as unjustified aggression that could fuel additional hostilities. Countries in the Gulf and broader MENA region worried about the risk of a larger regional war and urged diplomatic resolution.
The United Nations expressed deep concern about the risk of uncontrolled escalation, with Secretary‑General António Guterres calling for restraint and diplomacy as the only viable path forward. European Union officials similarly urged all sides to de‑escalate and return to negotiations, stressing that preventing nuclear proliferation should involve diplomatic engagement rather than military action. These multilateral voices highlighted fears that unilateral strikes could complicate global security frameworks and undermine international law.
