Media Reports – April 14, 2024
Global reaction to Iranian missile attack on Israel
Algeria has become the first government to officially declare its support for Iran's attacks on Israel, according to Instagram.
Brazil: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying it follows “with grave preoccupation” the news that Iranian drones and missiles were sent to Israel.
It noted that Brazil has been warning the international community, since the beginning of the war on Gaza that the conflict could spread throughout the region.
China: China is deeply concerned about escalation after Iran’s attacks, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in remarks published on its website.
“China calls on relevant parties to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions,” the spokesperson said in response to a question about Iran’s strikes.
This round of tensions is a “spillover from the Gaza conflict”, and quelling that conflict is “a top priority”, the spokesperson added.
Colombia: President Gustavo Petro called the attacks “predictable”, adding that “we’re now in the prelude to World War III precisely when humanity should rebuild its economy towards the rapid goal of decarbonisation”.
“The support of the US, in practice, for a genocide, has ignited the world. Everyone knows how wars start, no one knows how they end. If only the people of Israel were high enough, like their ancestors, to stop the madness of their ruler,” he said in a statement.
“The United Nations must meet urgently and must immediately commit to peace.”
Egypt: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “deep concern” at the escalation of hostilities and called for “maximum restraint”.
Its statement also warned of the “risk of the regional expansion of the conflict”, and added that Egypt would be “in direct contact with all parties to the conflict to try and contain the situation”.
Hamas: In a statement on Sunday, Hamas said it regarded Iran's attack on Israel as "a natural right and a deserved response" in retaliation for the attack on its Damascus consulate.
Gulf Cooperation Council: The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, urged all concerned parties Sunday to exercise restraint following Iran's airborne attack against Israel.
Budaiwi said the GCC “emphasises the importance of preserving regional and global security and stability in light of recent and rapid developments in the Middle East.”
He called on “all parties to exercise maximum self-restraint to prevent any further escalation that could threaten the region's stability and the safety of its people.”
Budaiwi stressed “the need for all parties to make joint efforts and adopt diplomacy as an effective means to settle disputes and ensure the region's security and stability.”
Jordan: Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said any escalation in the region would lead to “dangerous paths” and said that there was a need to reduce escalation by all parties.
In remarks to the cabinet, Khasawneh said the country’s armed forces would confront any attempt by any party that sought to endanger the kingdom’s security.
Pakistan: Pakistan said it was watching the ongoing developments in the Middle East with “deep concern” and called for “utmost restraint”.
In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) emphasised “for months, Pakistan has underlined the necessity of international efforts to prevent expansion of hostilities in the region and for a ceasefire in Gaza”.
It recalled its earlier statement wherein it had “pointed to the dangers of the attack on an Iranian consular office in Syria as a major escalation in an already volatile region”.
“Today’s developments demonstrate the consequences of the breakdown of diplomacy,” the FO said, adding that they also underlined the “grave implications in cases where the UN Security Council is unable to fulfil its responsibilities of maintaining international peace and security”.
“It is now critically urgent to stabilise the situation and restore peace. We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and move towards de-escalation,” the FO said.
Qatar: The Gulf nation called on all concerned parties to stop the escalation and exercise utmost restraint.
In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “its deep concern about the developments in the region”.
It called on “all parties to halt escalation, promote calm and exercise maximum restraint”.
It urged “the international community to take urgent action to defuse tension and de-escalate the situation in the region”.
Russia: Russia said it was extremely concerned by Iranian strikes on Israel and called on all parties to exercise restraint.
“We express our extreme concern over another dangerous escalation in the region,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement on the Iranian attacks. “We call on all parties involved to exercise restraint.”
“We have repeatedly warned that the numerous unresolved crises in the Middle East, primarily in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone, which are often fueled by irresponsible provocative actions, will lead to an increase in tension,” the ministry said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday held phone talks with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov reiterated "decisive condemnation" of an Israeli strike in Syria this month that killed Iranian generals.
Russia has previously condemned Israel's conduct in its six-month war in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement voicing its concern at the “military escalation” and calling on “all parties to exercise utmost restraint and spare the region and its peoples from the dangers of war”.
It went on to urge the UN Security Council “to assume its responsibility towards maintaining international peace and security”.
Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for restraint, saying on X: “We are following with the greatest concern the evolution of the situation in the Middle East. One must at all cost avoid a regional escalation.”
UAE: The United Arab Emirates called for the exercise of the utmost restraint to avoid dangerous repercussions in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The UAE also called for resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
United Nations: “I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote in a statement.
“I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation. I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” he added.
United States: President Joe Biden condemned the Iranian attacks and pledged a coordinated G7 diplomatic response. He said the US had helped Israel take down “nearly all” of the attacking drones and missiles.
Biden said in a statement released by the White House that he reiterated the “ironclad” US support for Israel’s security in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” he said in the statement.
“Tomorrow [Sunday], I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack,” he said.
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The Journal of America Team:
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Abdus Sattar Ghazali
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