đ UN Security Council Emergency Session
- Meeting opened at Iranâs request after U.S. strikes hit three Iranian nuclear sitesâFordow, Natanz, and Isfahanâexecuted by U.S. forces alongside Israeli actions reuters.com+3reuters.com+3yahoo.com+3time.com+10reuters.com+10foxnews.com+10.
- UN Secretary-General Guterres called the bombings âa perilous turn,â urging an immediate halt to fighting and a return to negotiations on Iranâs nuclear program reuters.com+1asiaone.com+1.
- IAEA Director Rafael Grossi confirmed tunnel entrances at Fordow and Isfahan were hit but said itâs too early to assess full underground damage. No elevated radiation was detected reuters.com+1asiaone.com+1.
đ Country Reactions at the UN (and beyond)
â Supporting the Strikes / U.S. Position
- United States (Amb. Dorothy Shea): Justified action as necessary to counter Iranâs delay tactics and nuclear ambitions tbsnews.net+15reuters.com+15time.com+15.
- Israel (Amb. Danny Danon & PM Netanyahu):
- Danon: U.S. action was âthe last line of defenseââinaction could be âcatastrophicâ foxnews.com+9reuters.com+9reuters.com+9.
- Netanyahu praised the strikes as a historic move to block Iranâs nuclear path thetimes.co.uk+5reuters.com+5theguardian.com+5.
- Australia: Endorsed the airstrikes and urged diplomatic follow-up tbsnews.net+15reuters.com+15time.com+15.
- European E3 (UK, France, Germany): While firm on preventing a nuclear Iran, they underscored the need for non-military solutions and diplomacy reuters.com+2reuters.com+2reuters.com+2.
â ď¸ Opposing the Strikes / Urging Restraint
- China and Russia:
- Chinaâs envoy emphasized the damage to U.S. credibility and called on all partiesâespecially Israelâto restrain and return to diplomacy reuters.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3asiaone.com+1reuters.com+1.
- Russia joined calls for an âimmediate and unconditional ceasefireâ .
- Pakistan: Backed Russia and China in pushing for the ceasefire resolution .
- Also domestic protests erupted in Karachi, with demonstrators denouncing the strikes and marching over U.S. flags reuters.com.
- Other UN/Nations: UAE, Qatar, Japan, NewâŻZealand, Mexico, Italy, Oman, Lebanon, Norway, and Portugal voiced deep concern, urging diplomacy and restraint reuters.com.
- Venezuela & Cuba: Strongly condemned the U.S. airstrikes as acts of aggression .
- Iraq: Denounced the bombings as violations of international law, called for UNSC intervention .
đ U.S. Domestic Perspectives
- Republican senators like Roger Wicker and Jim Risch backed the strikesâbut framed it as Israelâs war, not requiring direct U.S. boots on the ground reuters.com.
- House Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries and AlexandriaâŻOcasioâCortez criticized the action as unconstitutional and potentially war-inducing without Congressional approval reuters.com+1foxnews.com+1.
đĽ Iranâs Position & Potential Response
- Iranâs UN Ambassador Iravani denounced the strikes as a misuse of the NPT and âblatant aggression,â saying Iran reserves the right to defend itself reuters.com+1reuters.com+1.
- Foreign Minister Araqchi warned of âeverlasting consequencesâ and said no diplomacy until Iran retaliatesâpossibly including missile strikes, closure of the Strait of Hormuz, or targeting U.S. naval assets theguardian.com+3news.com.au+3asiaone.com+3.
- Iran retaliated with missiles against Israel, prompting civilian casualties and raising fears of wider regional warfare news.com.au+1thetimes.co.uk+1.
đ Quick Summary Table
Country / Entity | Position |
U.S., Israel, Australia | Supported strikes to halt nuclear advancement |
E3 (UK, France, Germany) | Agreed on non-proliferation, stressed diplomacy |
China, Russia, Pakistan | Condemned strikes; pushed for ceasefire |
UAE, Qatar, Japan, etc. | Called for de-escalation and dialogue |
Venezuela, Cuba, Iraq | Strong condemnation of U.S. action |
UN SecâGen | Warned against escalation; urged negotiation |
Iran | Denounced strikes; vowed strong defensive retaliation |
â Key Takeaways
- UN Security Council met urgently, with major powers divided.
- U.S. and allies justify strikes as necessary to stop Iranâs nuclear program.
- Most others advocate diplomacy, fearing legal violations and conflict.
- Iran vows retaliation, signaling a dangerous potential new phase in regional tensions.