(VOVWORLD) - The US and Israel clashed with Iran at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Saturday where the UN chief and many countries urged a halt to their attacks and a return to negotiations to prevent the conflict from spreading further into the region and beyond.
 Wreckage of a car following joint US-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran, Iran, on February 28, 2026. (Photo:REUTERS) |
Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent an escalation.
“The alternative,” he warned, “is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.”
French ambassador, Jèrome Bonnafont called for de-escalation of tensions and said that respect for international law is a condition for long-term security in the region and in the world.
China’s Ambassador Fu Cong described the US-Israeli strikes as “brazen”, condemning the threat of force to settle any international dispute, and calling for the “sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and other regional countries to be respected.” Expressing sadness at the large loss of civilian life during Saturday’s strikes, Ambassador Fu called on all parties to fulfill their obligations under international law and an immediate cessation of military action.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia condemned the US-Israeli strikes “against a sovereign and independent Member State.”
On Saturday, many countries around the world also spoke out about the escalating tensions in the Middle East. India's foreign ministry insisted that "dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued" while the "sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected".
Turkey and Egypt warned that the risk of escalating conflict could threaten the future of the region and global stability, stressing the importance of political and peaceful solutions.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed regret over the strikes by Israel and the United States, as well as the retaliatory strikes by Iran and called for restraint, de-escalation, and a return to the negotiating table.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) voiced support for Iran's right to "self-defense and deterrence". Iraq strongly condemned the Israel-US strikes, warning against regional escalation and asserting its desire to avoid being drawn into the conflict.
Gulf states condemned on Saturday what they described as Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting US military bases in several countries across the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan. They said the attacks constituted a violation of their sovereignty and posed a direct threat to national security and the safety of their citizens.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry affirmed Kuwait's "full and inherent right to self-defense," stressing that Kuwait reserves the right to take all necessary measures.