On Friday, Israel reportedly launched retaliatory strikes on Iranian territory which was met with nonchalant response from Iran. Israel has yet to comment on the situation, while various countries and leaders around the world have offered their responses.
Iranian media and officials claimed that the explosion was caused by Iran’s air defense system hitting three drones over Isfahan. Notably, they attributed the event to “infiltrators” rather than an Israeli attack, thus dispelling the possibility of retaliation.
An Iranian official informed Reuters that there are no plans to respond to Israel regarding the incident. The official stated, “The foreign sources of this event have not been confirmed. We have not faced any external attack, and discussions lean more towards infiltration rather than an attack.”
A senior U.S. official previously told CNN that the U.S. received advance notice from Israel on Thursday about plans to launch attacks in the coming days, but did not endorse such “response.”
“We were not involved in it,” the official said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on April 19 that the G7 countries are working to ease tensions.
“Our focus, the G7’s focus, and what’s reflected in our statements and dialogues is again on trying to de-escalate the situation,” Blinken said, emphasizing that the U.S. was not involved in any attack actions.
Since Iran’s drone and missile attacks on Israel last Saturday, diplomats have been working tirelessly to avoid an all-out war.
Blinken, at a press conference following the conclusion of the Capri meeting in Italy on April 19, expressed commitment to Israel’s security and efforts to end the escalating tension.
He also noted that countries collectively “commit to holding Iran accountable.”
Blinken condemned Iran’s weekend attacks on Israel. He described the attacks as “unprecedented in scope and scale” due to being Iran’s first direct assault on Israel, involving over 300 types of ammunition including ballistic missiles.
The White House has yet to respond. However, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is “exercising caution” by restricting U.S. government employees from traveling outside of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that a significant escalation in the Middle East serves no one’s interests. He added that speculating on reports of Israel’s attack on Iran is inappropriate.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, urged Iran, Israel, and their allies to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
Von der Leyen, alongside Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo around 25 kilometers from the Russian border in Finland, emphasized the necessity for stability in the region and all parties to exercise restraint.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed deep concern over the Middle East situation and strongly denounced any actions leading to escalation. Japan will continue diplomatic efforts to prevent further deteriorations.
Jean-Noel Barrot, French Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, “I can only say that France’s position is to urge all parties to ease tensions and maintain restraint.”
The Kremlin stated they are examining information regarding Israel’s attack on Iran and urged both sides to exercise restraint.
Egypt expressed concerns over the mutual escalation between Israel and Iran, warning of the consequences of conflict and instability in the region.
Oman has historically played a mediating role in the Middle East. On Friday, the Omani Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s attack on Iranian territory and the “repeated military attacks by Israel in the region.”
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the primary task of the international community should be to prevent the “massacre” in Gaza and ensure lasting peace in the region by establishing a Palestinian state.
Ben Saul, the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights issues, stated that Israel’s latest attack on Iran once again violates international law and the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force, threatening human rights.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China opposes any actions leading to further escalation of tensions and will continue to play a “constructive” role in easing the situation.
Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken criticized China for supporting Russia’s defense industry, stating that Beijing has become a major sponsor of Russia’s actions in the Ukraine conflict by providing crucial weapon components.
He noted that this effort is fueling the “greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War.”
This article has been adapted from reporting by Voice of America.