The world leaders on Sunday called for restraint and a return to diplomacy after joint US and Israeli military strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering fears that escalating violence could engulf the wider Middle East.
Tensions intensified as Iran vowed severe retaliation following Khamenei’s death. A powerful explosion shook Tehran early Sunday after the Israeli military said it was striking the ‘heart’ of the Iranian capital, claiming it had cleared the path to the city a day earlier. At the same time, Iran continued its counterattacks, with Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain reporting that they intercepted waves of incoming missiles.
Oman, which had acted as a mediator between Tehran and Washington in recent nuclear negotiations, said an oil tanker in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz was attacked. The Omani port of Duqm—used by the US Navy as a logistics hub and capable of hosting aircraft carriers—was also targeted in a drone strike.
Khamenei’s death, without a publicly designated successor, is expected to plunge Iran into political uncertainty and heighten concerns that the conflict could widen.
Diplomats from the 27 European Union member states convened an emergency meeting Sunday to assess developments and determine the bloc’s response. The United Nations Security Council met late Saturday in a tense session marked by sharp exchanges between US and Iranian representatives.
While some governments appeared cautious in their public comments, particularly in the Middle East, many urged de-escalation. Several countries condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes without directly criticising the initial US-Israeli assault. Others were more explicit: Australia and Canada voiced support for Washington’s actions, while Russia and China strongly criticised the strikes.
Also read: Violation of human morality: Putin on Khamenei killing
The United States and Israel launched the coordinated attack on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump urging Iranians to ‘seize control of your destiny’ and rise against the Islamic leadership that has governed the country since 1979.
At the UN Security Council meeting, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for an immediate halt to hostilities and a resumption of negotiations to prevent the conflict from spreading further.
“Everything must be done to prevent an escalation,” Guterres said, warning that the alternative could be ‘a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability’. He described the US and Israeli airstrikes as violations of international law, including the UN Charter, and also condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks for breaching the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The Security Council session grew heated as US and Iranian envoys exchanged warnings and rebuttals.
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