New Delhi, June 22: The US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have triggered a wave of international reactions, with world leaders calling for restraint and a return to diplomacy amid fears of a broader conflict erupting in the Middle East.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support for the US action while stressing the importance of regional stability.

“Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat,” he posted on X.

“The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis,” he added.

Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak echoed these concerns and supported the strikes.

“The Iranian regime has long been a threat to regional and global security. The prospect of Iran having a nuclear weapon is unacceptable,” he said, adding, “Israel and the US have acted decisively to address this threat and deserve our support and thanks for their efforts.”

UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey noted that the UK was not involved in the operation but had taken steps to ensure security.

“The US has taken action to alleviate the grave threat that Iran poses to global security,” Healey posted.

“The UK did not participate in these strikes. The safety of UK personnel and bases is my top priority. Force protection is at its highest level and we deployed additional jets this week,” he added.

Saudi Arabia voiced concern over the potential for escalation, saying it was following the developments “with great concern.”

In a statement, the Kingdom stressed the importance of restraint and called on the international community to “exert all efforts” to de-escalate the crisis and seek a political solution.

Australia, which recently evacuated its diplomatic staff and closed its embassy in Tehran, reiterated its preference for diplomacy.

“We have been clear that Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme has been a threat to international peace and security,” said an official statement.

“We note the US President’s statement that now is the time for peace. The security situation in the region is highly volatile. We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement read.

Qatar’s foreign ministry warned that the ongoing escalation could have dire consequences.

“The current dangerous escalation in the region may lead to catastrophic consequences at both the regional and international levels,” the statement said.

“It calls on all parties to exercise wisdom, restraint, and to avoid further escalation,” it read.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation of the US strikes, calling them a “serious violation” of international law and the UN Charter.

“The Sultanate of Oman deplores this illegal aggression and calls for immediate and comprehensive de-escalation,” the statement read.

Oman also reaffirmed the right of states to develop nuclear programs for peaceful purposes under international oversight.

Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Simon Harris, warned of an “extremely dangerous spiral of escalation” and emphasised the need for diplomacy.

“This has been the focus of my engagement with EU partners and countries in the region since this current crisis began,” Harris stated.

“Europe, including Ireland, is fully united in the clear view that Iran should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The way to address this was always through a negotiated solution. Any alternative is simply too dangerous,” he added.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics stressed the importance of regional stability and posted on X, “Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global and regional security. US have taken an action to address that threat. Iran must not possess a nuclear weapon.”

“All parties should return to talks in order to reach a diplomatic solution,” he added.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot also weighed in, saying, “The theocratic regime of the mullahs of Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, as it would be a threat to international security.”

“We must prevent further escalation. It delays indispensable work towards a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that it does not happen. I recall Belgium’s support for the work of the IAEA to this end. I call again for maximum restraint and on the parties to come back to the negotiating table. The EU has a role to play to facilitate a solution. I will discuss the situation with my colleagues tomorrow,” he added.

As tensions rise following the US strikes, the global community continues to urge de-escalation and a swift return to diplomatic engagement to prevent a full-blown regional conflict.

New Delhi, June 22: An Air India flight from Birmingham to the national capital was diverted to Riyadh due to a bomb threat on Saturday and landed safely in the Saudi city.

In a statement on Sunday, the Tata Group-owned airline, which has temporarily reduced services ensure operational stability, said alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers from Riyadh to their destinations.

“Flight AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi of 21 June received a bomb threat and was consequently diverted to Riyadh where it has landed safely and has completed security checks. All passengers have been deplaned and are being provided hotel accommodation,” it said.

In the wake of the fatal crash of its aircraft in Ahmedabad on June 12, Air India has voluntarily undertaken enhanced pre-flight safety checks and temporary reduction of services to improve stability.

“Despite all efforts, due to extraneous factors such as airspace closures in the Middle East, nighttime curfew at several airports in Europe and East Asia, air traffic congestion, unforeseen operational issues, certain flights get delayed or cancelled,” the carrier said.

The airline also mentioned that sometimes, certain challenges lead to last-minute disruptions.

Dubai, June 22: Iran’s foreign minister said on Sunday that Washington is “fully responsible” for what actions the Islamic Republic takes next in retaliation against the US strikes on its various nuclear sites.

“The warmongering, a lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far reaching implications of its act of aggression,” Abbas Araghchi said in a news briefing at a conference in Turkiye.

These were the first public statements from a high-ranking Iranian official since the US carried out its strikes.

Tehran, June 22: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday issued a scathing condemnation of the United States, accusing it of committing a “grave violation” of the UN Charter, international law, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) after American forces, in coordination with Israel, carried out precision military strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Araghchi’s strong response followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement late Saturday that the United States had struck the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites in a joint operation with Israel.

The move marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, which began when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on June 13.

“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Araghchi posted on X.

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour,” he added.

Invoking Iran’s right under international law, he warned, “In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”

Hours earlier, Trump hailed the US military’s execution of the operation, declaring it a necessary action to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear capabilities.

Addressing a media briefing just hours after the strikes on Saturday (US time), Trump stated, “I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on a operation, the likes of which the world has not seen in many many decades. Hopefully we no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope so.”

“This cannot continue. There will either be peace or tragedy for Iran, far greater than what we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left.”

The US President asserted that the strikes were aimed at crippling Iran’s “nuclear enrichment capacity and put a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”

Despite weeks of diplomatic efforts to renegotiate a nuclear agreement with Tehran — following the US withdrawal from the 2015 accord in 2018 — Trump has now thrown full support behind Israel’s military campaign against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and high-ranking military officials, a campaign launched a little over a week ago.

In his statement, Trump extended gratitude to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying, “I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team, like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done.”

The air conflict between the two nations erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise strike on Iran.

Israeli authorities claimed the offensive was a preemptive measure to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons — an ambition Iran has consistently denied.

The conflict has since raised tensions across the region, already on edge following Israel’s prolonged war in Gaza since October 2023.

The latest exchange has now drawn in the United States in a direct military capacity.

Iranian state media confirmed that parts of the Fordow nuclear facility were hit in what it called “enemy strikes,” though further details on the extent of the damage remain limited.