World leaders react warily after reports Khamenei died
World leaders reacted warily to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran after reports circulated that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had died, as governments weighed how to respond to both the military action and Iran’s subsequent retaliation.
The apparent death of Khamenei — described as the second leader of the Islamic Republic and a figure with no designated successor — added uncertainty about Iran’s near-term direction and intensified concerns about a wider conflict, according to the Associated Press account.
In the United States, President Donald Trump posted that Khamenei was dead, calling it “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” while Iranian state media said early Sunday that the 86-year-old leader had died without elaborating on the cause. Israeli officials had told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Khamenei was dead, and Netanyahu said in a televised address that there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed when Israel struck his compound early Saturday.
Trump’s comments were framed as calls to Iranians to act, with the Associated Press reporting that he urged the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic theocracy that has ruled since 1979. After the U.S. and Israeli attack began Saturday, Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East, the Associated Press said.
European leaders urged restraint and diplomacy
Among the responses, some governments took a cautious posture, with the Associated Press reporting that many nations abstained from directly commenting on the joint strikes while condemning Tehran’s retaliation. The report said that European governments and countries across the Middle East criticized Iran’s actions while remaining largely silent about the U.S. and Israeli military action.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement they called on the U.S. and Iran to resume talks and favored a negotiated settlement. They said their countries did not take part in the strikes but were in close contact with the U.S., Israel and partners in the region, and they described Iran’s retaliation as condemnable while urging the process to return to negotiations.
The Associated Press reported that later, at an emergency security meeting, Macron said France was “neither warned nor involved” in the strikes. He urged intensified efforts for a negotiated solution and warned that “no one can think that the questions of Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic activity, regional destabilization will be settled by strikes alone.”
The Arab League also condemned Iran’s strikes, calling them “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability.” The Associated Press reported that Morocco, Jordan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates denounced Iranian strikes targeting U.S. military bases in the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Emirates, while emphasizing national sovereignty in their statements.
Divergent reactions from Russia, China and some allies
Some countries issued more supportive statements for the U.S. and Israeli actions. The Associated Press reported that Australia and Canada expressed open support for the strikes, while Russia and China issued direct criticism.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the strikes “a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression” against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state. The ministry also accused “Washington and Tel Aviv” of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while pursuing regime change, the Associated Press reported.
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. Its foreign ministry said Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected, according to the Associated Press account.
Even where countries supported the strikes, some messages relied on framing aimed at broader regional stability. The Associated Press reported that Canada backed the military action and quoted Prime Minister Mark Carney saying Iran’s role was the “principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East,” while noting that European and Middle East governments largely avoided language that could be read as direct support for unilateral U.S. action.
Emergency meeting as concerns grow about escalation
The Associated Press said the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran at the request of Bahrain and France. The report described the reaction as a mix of condemnation of Iran’s retaliation, caution about escalation, and competing diplomatic calls for talks.
Some officials expressed concern that the breakdown in diplomacy could lead to a broader war. Norway’s 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,” according to the Associated Press report.
In a statement, the Associated Press said the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes as “totally irresponsible” and said the attacks risked further escalation and increased dangers related to nuclear proliferation and the use of nuclear weapons. The Associated Press also reported that EU leaders issued a joint statement calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy to “ensur[e] nuclear safety,” while the Arab League appealed for de-escalation and a return to dialogue.
In the occupied West Bank, the Associated Press reported that Palestinians were “largely unfazed” by the outbreak of war, even as Israel closed checkpoints on Saturday and people in nearby areas sheltered as sounds of interceptions echoed overhead. The Palestinian Authority condemned Iran’s attacks on Arab nations and made no mention of the Israeli or U.S. strikes, the report said.