World leaders are reacting in very different ways after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, and Iran’s retaliation across the region. President Donald Trump says the strikes give Iranians a chance to reclaim their country. Iran has responded with missiles and drones aimed at Israel and U.S. bases. Britain, France, and Germany urged the U.S.
The Afternoon Wire3 US troops killed and 5 are seriously wounded during Iran attacks, military saysColorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder dies in a single-car crash at age 23, police sayComplete list of winners at the 2026 Actor AwardsOil prices rise sharply after attacks in Middle East disrupt global energy supplyOtters enjoy a snow day in Maryland during winter stormRaccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floorRamadan Friday prayers at sunrise captured in this extraordinary photoWith only 3 women left, an Amazon tribe faced extinction.
An unexpected birth now brings hopeSome people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn'tNordic people know how to beat the winter blues. Here's how to find light in the darkest monthsYoung woman says she was on social media 'all day long' as a child in landmark addiction trialIf you're struggling to lose weight, could chilling your carbs help?Viajeros buscan conexiones tras cierre de gran parte de Oriente Medio al transporte aéreo por guerraOil tankers and refineries under attack as US and Israel exchange strikes with Iran3 US troops killed and 5 are seriously wounded during Iran attacks, military saysColorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder dies in a single-car crash at age 23, police sayComplete list of winners at the 2026 Actor AwardsOil prices rise sharply after attacks in Middle East disrupt global energy supplyOtters enjoy a snow day in Maryland during winter stormRaccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floorRamadan Friday prayers at sunrise captured in this extraordinary photoWith only 3 women left, an Amazon tribe faced extinction. An unexpected birth now brings hopeSome people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn'tNordic people know how to beat the winter blues. Here's how to find light in the darkest monthsYoung woman says she was on social media 'all day long' as a child in landmark addiction trialIf you're struggling to lose weight, could chilling your carbs help?Viajeros buscan conexiones tras cierre de gran parte de Oriente Medio al transporte aéreo por guerraBritish Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks with students and staff, during a visit to the Walbottle Academy Campus in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks before media members as he visits facilities of Siemens Energy during his official visit, in Hangzhou, China, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks with students and staff, during a visit to the Walbottle Academy Campus in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks with students and staff, during a visit to the Walbottle Academy Campus in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks before media members as he visits facilities of Siemens Energy during his official visit, in Hangzhou, China, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks before media members as he visits facilities of Siemens Energy during his official visit, in Hangzhou, China, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. TOKYO — As the war in the Middle East escalated broadly Monday, fear, anger and confusion echoed across the globe as leaders reacted toPerhaps cautious about upsetting already strained relations with Trump, many nations did not comment directly or pointedly on the joint strikes but condemned Tehran’s retaliation. Other governments criticized Iran’s strikes on Arab neighbors while staying silent on the U.S. and Israeli military action.called on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic theocracy that has ruled the nation since 1979. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East.In a statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on the United States and Iran to resume talks and said they favored a negotiated settlement. The Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry called for dialogue and urged “all the parties to prevent the conflict from further deterioration, thereby undermining international peace and security and affecting innocent civilians.” Oman said in a statement that the U.S. action “constitutes a violation of the rules of international law and the principle of settling disputes through peaceful means, rather than through hostility and the shedding of blood.” But Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, whobetween the United States and Iran, said after the second full day of hostilities that “the door to diplomacy remains open.” The 22-nation Arab League called the Iranian attacks “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability.” That coalition of nations has historically condemned both Israel and Iran for actions it says risk destabilizing the region. Top diplomats of six Gulf states called on Iran to immediately halt its attacks on their territories, which they said violated their sovereignty and threatened to undermine regional security and stability. The foreign ministers of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain had a virtual emergency meeting Sunday following the U.S-Israel strikes on Iran that triggered a barrage of Iranian missiles on U.S bases and other civilian infrastructure, including airports, hotels and in some cases, residential areas.and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government’s efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States. Saudi Arabia said it “condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian aggression and the blatant violation of sovereignty.”Some countries in Europe and the Middle East used careful wording, avoiding perceptions that they either support unilateral American action or are directly condemning the United States.“a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state.” The ministry accused the U.S. and Israel of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Moscow was deeply disappointed to see the U.S. and Israel attack Iran despite the progress made in the U.S.-Iranian talks. Similarly, China’s government said it was “highly concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the military action and a return to negotiations.with the U.S., Canada expressed its support for the military action. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said. Australia’s Senate passed a motion welcoming the death of Iran’s supreme leader, but rejected a section congratulating the United States and Israel. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday played down growing worry about the economic impact on oil shipments from the Middle East in the wake of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, saying Japan has oil reserves at home that can last for several months.The Palestinian Authority, in a statement, condemned the Iranian attacks on Arab nations, many of which have historically helped underwrite its finances. It made no mention of the Israeli or U.S. strikes. Nervousness is perceptible across multiple countries. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that he was concerned the failure of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran meant a “new, extensive war in the Middle East.” The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. And EU leaders issued a joint statement Saturday calling for restraint and diplomacy in hopes of “ensuring nuclear safety.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India was concerned about the crisis and called for dialogue to ease tensions. Germany will not actively participate in military action against Iran but will consider defending its soldiers stationed on multinational military bases in Jordan and Iraq if they get attacked, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Monday.McNeil reported from Brussels. Associated Press writers Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw, Sam Metz in Ramallah, Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Angela Charlton in Paris, Paolo Santalucia in Rome, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Elise Morton and Krutika Pathi in London, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Fatma Khaled and Sam Magdy in Cairo, Ken Moritsugu in Beijing, Adam Schreck in Bangkok, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Rod McGuirk in Melbourne, Australia, contributed to this report.Klug is the AP’s news director for the Koreas, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. He’s covered Asia since 2005 and has reported from across the region, including multiple trips to North Korea.
Iran Ali Khamenei Iran Government General News Dmitry Peskov Narendra Modi United States Government Japan Government Badr Al-Busaidi Johann Wadephul Russia Government Politics World News Diplomacy China Government Drones Canada Government Australia Government 2024-2025 Mideast Wars Emmanuel Macron Spain Government Keir Starmer Oman Government Bashar Assad France Government Friedrich Merz Thailand Government Sanae Takaichi India Government Mark Carney Israel Government World News
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Iran live updates: Iran's supreme leader assumed dead after US-Israel strikes, Israeli officials sayThe massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
Read more »
Iran live updates: Israeli officials say Iran's supreme leader believed dead after US-Israel strikesThe massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
Read more »
Iran live updates: Israeli officials say Iran's supreme leader believed dead after US-Israel strikesThe massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
Read more »
Iran live updates: Israeli officials say Iran's supreme leader believed dead after US-Israel strikesThe massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
Read more »
Iran live updates: Israeli officials say Iran's supreme leader believed dead after US-Israel strikesThe massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
Read more »
Iran live updates: Israeli officials say Iran's supreme leader believed dead after US-Israel strikesThe massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
Read more »