World leaders call for de-escalation after Israel and US attack Iran

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4 min readFeb 28, 2026 08:15 PM IST

Israel and the US launched a large-scale, coordinated military campaign against Iran Saturday, prompting reactions from officials and governments across the world. The strikes followed remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said Washington would destroy Tehran’s missile arsenal and prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

The strikes reportedly targeted the offices of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and US interests in the region.

Expressing “deep concern”, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged all sides to “exercise restraint”, saying the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected.”

The MEA said its missions in the Middle-East are in touch with Indian nationals and have issued appropriate advisories, asking them to remain vigilant and follow local security guidance.

Here’s how world leaders and organisations reacted:

France

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, saying a war between the United States, Israel and Iran has “serious consequences” for international peace and security.

“The current escalation is dangerous for everyone. It must stop. The Iranian regime must understand that it now has no other option but to engage in good-faith negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its actions to destabilise the region,” Macron said on social media platform X. “This is absolutely essential for the security of everyone in the Middle East.”

European Union

European Union leaders issued a joint statement calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy in hopes of “ensuring nuclear safety.”

“We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

The EU President called the conflict in the Middle East “perilous” and said she was working with Israeli and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace. “Iran’s regime has killed thousands. Its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, along with support for terror groups, pose a serious threat to global security,” said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief of the 27-nation bloc, in a post on social media.

Russia

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said: “The peacemaker once again showed his face. All negotiations with Iran are a cover operation. No one doubted it. No one really wanted to negotiate anything.”

Medvedev added: “The question is who has more patience to wait for the inglorious end of their enemy. The USA is only 249 years old. The Persian Empire was founded more than 2,500 years ago. Let’s see in 100 years…”

Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said “we will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity.”

Norway

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said: “The attack is described by Israel as a preventive strike, but it is not in line with international law. Preventive attacks require an immediately imminent threat.”

Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez demanded “immediate de-escalation and full respect for international law.”

Ukraine

Ukraine’s foreign ministry blamed Iran’s current regime for the crisis, saying “The cause of the current events is precisely the violence and impunity of the Iranian regime, in particular the killings and repression of peaceful protesters, which have become particularly widespread in recent months.”