U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., June 21, 2025.
Ken Cedeno | Reuters
World leaders reacted to President Donald Trump’s announcement Saturday that the U.S. had carried out a “very successful attack” on three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo.
“This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Here’s how world leaders reacted after the attack.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “Trump’s bold decision will change history.” Speaking minutes after the attack, Netanyahu said, “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, Donald Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength,”
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the U.S. strikes on Iran represent a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region, posing a serious threat to global peace and security.
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” Guterres said in a statement as reported by Reuters.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on X that his nation “reserves all options” in responding to the attack.
“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,” Araghch said. “Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
Araghchi said that the attacks on “Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” by the U.S. were “a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT.”
Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvan Gil condemned the attacks in a message on Telegram: “Venezuela Condemns U.S. Military Aggression Against Iran and Demands an Immediate Cessation of Hostilities. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela firmly and categorically condemns the bombing carried out by the United States military, at the request of the State of Israel, against nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan complexes.”
Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel also condemned the attacks on the social media platform X, saying: “We strongly condemn the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which constitutes a dangerous escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. The aggression seriously violates the UN Charter and international law and plunges humanity into a crisis with irreversible consequences.”
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for a diplomatic dialogue on X: “The ministry urgently calls for diplomatic dialogue for peace between the parties involved in the Middle East conflict. In keeping with our constitutional principles of foreign policy and our country’s pacifist conviction, we reiterate our call to de-escalate tensions in the region. The restoration of peaceful coexistence among the states of the region is the highest priority.”
A spokesperson for the Australian government also called for de-escalation, Reuters reported: “We have been clear that Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program has been a threat to international peace and security. 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.”
Reactions across the globe are slowly coming in as leaders weigh the impact of the attack. According to Reuters, South Korea’s presidential office is set to host an emergency meeting to discuss the attack.