Sharp criticism of Iran’s actions came from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the EU as well as Federal President Alexander van der Bellen, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (both ÖVP). US President Joe Biden assured Israel of US support.
- Video: After Iran’s attack on Israel, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) wants to seek dialogue
The UN Security Council planned a special meeting for Sunday. “Our commitment to Israel’s security against the threats posed by Iran and its proxies is unwavering,” wrote US President Biden on Saturday evening (local time) in a post on the platform X (formerly Twitter). He also published a photo of a meeting with his crisis team. According to its own statements, the USA does not want an “escalation” or “war” with Iran. “We don’t want any escalation. We are not looking for a major war with Iran,” he said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirbyon Sunday on NBC.
Russia expressed “extremely” concern and called on all parties to show moderation. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow warned that there would be no detente without a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: “We have repeatedly warned that the numerous unresolved crises in the Middle East, especially in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone (…), will lead to one will lead to an increase in tension.”
UN Secretary General Guterres saw the risk of a catastrophic deterioration of the situation in the Middle East after Iran’s attack on Israel. “I am deeply concerned by the very real threat of devastating escalation across the region. I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid actions that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” shared Guterres in New York on Saturday (local time). He condemned Iran’s attack “in the strongest possible terms” and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Austrian support for Israel
There was also sharp criticism of the Iranian actions Austria. For Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg a “red line” has been crossed. The attack was “completely unacceptable, irresponsible” and would be condemned “in the strongest possible terms,” Schallenberg said on Sunday at the Foreign Ministry in Vienna. The situation was threatening to get “completely out of control,” said the minister at a press conference called at short notice. He called on Iran to stop all actions in this regard.
Schallenberg also meant the allies of the Islamic Republic, because if the spiral of escalation continues, “everyone loses.” He warned of a “point of no return” that not only further exacerbates the already tense situation in the Middle East, but also poses a threat to Europe and the world. It is therefore necessary to create more “space for diplomacy and dialogue” because the situation is “very serious”.
Federal President Van der Bellen condemned Iran’s attack on Israel on
Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Sunday night on X condemned the Iranian attack on Israel “in the strongest possible terms.” Austria stands on Israel’s side, said Nehammer: “We call on Iran to stop any hostility immediately.” Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler condemned the Iranian actions “in the strongest possible terms” and warned that the “worrying developments in the Middle East” threatened “global peace.”
The Israeli Ambassador to Austria, David Roet, thanked you for the words of support. “In times of crisis you realize who your true friends are,” the diplomat wrote in a statement. “Iran’s massive attack against Israel last night is an unlawful step and a violation of the sovereignty of the State of Israel. This is a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law. The Iranian regime bears full responsibility for this attack. ” Israel reserves the right to “take all legal measures to defend itself and its citizens against this unlawful act of aggression by Iran and its proxies.” Roet also spoke out in favor of sanctions against Iran and for “the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to be classified as a terrorist organization everywhere.”
The President of the Israelite Religious Society (IRG) and Jewish Community of Vienna (IKG), Oskar Deutsch, underlined in a broadcast that the “condemnation of Iran’s drone and missile terrorism” was “an important gesture by all democratic states and in particular Austria.” He also called for immediate sanctions as “the mildest means to prevent further attacks by the mullahs’ regime.”
“Unprecedented escalation”
The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also strongly condemned the Iranian attack on Israel and spoke on the online service X on Sunday night of an “unprecedented escalation”. Similar comments were made EU Council President Charles Michel. “Everything must be done to prevent further regional escalation,” he wrote on X. “More bloodshed must be avoided.” The EU will continue to monitor the situation closely with its allies. Also EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the Iranian attack on Israel and called on all sides to exercise prudence.
Also the NATO condemned Iran’s direct attack on Israel as an “escalation” of unrest in the region and called on all those involved to exercise restraint. “We condemn Iran’s overnight escalation, call for restraint and are closely monitoring developments,” NATO spokeswoman Farah Dakhallah said on Sunday. It is important “that the conflict in the Middle East does not get out of control,” she emphasized.
“You can’t continue on this path”
The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned of “any further escalation” after the Iranian air strikes on Israel: “You cannot continue on this path,” said Scholz on Sunday in Chongqing, China. “We will do everything we can to ensure that there is no further escalation.” Scholz once again strongly condemned the Iranian attack. “This is an inexcusable attack, it is a serious escalation of the situation.” It is in no way acceptable, understandable or acceptable. The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also warned of a further deterioration of the situation. “I call on all actors in the region to act prudently,” said the Green politician on Sunday in Berlin. “The escalation spiral must be broken.” The German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured his Israeli counterpart Yitzhak (Isaac) Herzog of Germany’s solidarity in a telephone call.
The French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the unprecedented Iranian attack threatened to destabilize the region: “France is working with its partners on de-escalation and calls for restraint,” Macron said on X Sunday morning.
Also the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the Iranian attack on Israel “in the strongest possible terms.” “These attacks risk escalating tensions and destabilizing the region,” Sunak said in a statement on Saturday evening. “Iran has once again shown that it intends to create chaos in its own backyard.” Britain will remain committed to the security of Israel and all regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq.
“We are very concerned about further destabilization in the region and will continue to work to prevent it,” wrote Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Sunday morning on X. Italy currently chairs the group of seven large democratic industrial nations (G7). The country had previously convened a video call for the G7 heads of state and government in the early afternoon.
The Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for de-escalation in a phone call with his Iranian colleague after Iran’s attack on Israel. Fidan made it clear in a conversation with Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian that Turkey did not want any further escalation in the region, the state news agency Anadolu reported on Sunday, citing diplomatic circles.
In the name of Ukraine has also President Volodymyr Zelenskyj condemned the Iranian airstrike on Israel. “We in Ukraine know very well the horror of such attacks by Russia, because it uses the same Shahed drones and Russian missiles, the same tactics of combined airstrikes.” This is what Zelenskyj wrote on X on Sunday.
Clear criticism of the Iranian actions also came from, among others Governments of Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called on “all international leaders” to show responsibility and restraint and condemned the attacks in a “long and agonizing night”. Madrid has “always condemned and will continue to condemn any form of violence against the safety and well-being of innocent civilians,” he stressed.
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared that Greece would fully support all efforts to defuse the situation in the Middle East. “These are extremely unpleasant and very worrying developments that could trigger a new ignition in our wider neighborhood and of course in the Middle East,” stressed Mitsotakis. A statement from the Greek Foreign Ministry said: “The Greek government unequivocally condemns Iran’s attacks on Israel, which represent a serious deterioration of the already deteriorating situation in the region.”
