In the wake of an increasingly volatile situation in the Middle East, and the aftermath of the Iranian missile attack on Israel late on Tuesday, world leaders took to social media to condemn Iran’s attack on Israel.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urgently called for a ceasefire in a post on X.
I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation.
This must stop.
We absolutely need a ceasefire.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 1, 2024
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen issued a statement on the Commission’s website saying:
“I condemn yesterday’s ballistic missile attack launched by Iran against Israel in the strongest terms. Such actions threaten regional stability and escalate tensions in an already extremely volatile situation. I urge all parties to protect the lives of innocent civilians. The European Union continues to call for a ceasefire across the border with Lebanon, and in Gaza, and for the release of all hostages that have been held for almost a year.”
President Joe Biden also condemned the attack, deeming it “ineffective” and told reporters that “The United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel.” He also announced that he planned to speak to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on how to respond to the incident.
Canada unequivocally condemns Iran’s reckless attack against Israel. It puts innocent civilians at risk.
We fully support Israel’s right to defend itself against this attack. And, we repeat our call for de-escalation across the region, for the safety of all civilians.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 1, 2024
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted a video on X condemning Iran’s attack, saying, “We stand with Israel, and we recognize her right to self-defense in the face of this aggression.”
I completely condemn Iran’s attack on Israel this evening. pic.twitter.com/cj2R6o5Lfd
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 1, 2024
Shortly after the missiles were launched, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs also uploaded a post on X condemning the attack.
The Greek government strongly condemns Iran’s attacks against Israel. This is a serious escalation and increases the threat to regional security. Greece stands by the people of Israel and their right to live with security. Greece reaffirms its call for immediate de-escalation. pic.twitter.com/YlNmr7l4Gz
— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) October 1, 2024
French President Emmanuel Macron in turn condemned the Iranian attack “in the strongest possible terms” and said that France mobilized it military resources in the Middle East to “counter the Iranian threat.”
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the missile attacks by Iran “unacceptable” and reaffirmed its commitment to helping defuse the situation and prevent further escalation.
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez condemned the Iranian strikes in a post on X, in Spanish, saying, “The Government of Spain condemns Iran’s attack on Israel and calls for this spiral of violence to end now. To achieve peace, a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon is essential, and international and humanitarian laws must be respected.”
Acabo de hablar con @antonioguterres sobre la alarmante situación en Oriente Próximo.
El Gobierno de España condena el ataque de Irán contra Israel y pide que esta espiral de violencia termine ya.
Para alcanzar la paz, es imprescindible un alto el fuego en Gaza y en Líbano, y…
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) October 1, 2024