The UN Security Council convened urgently at Iran's request

China and Russia condemn the US bombing of three nuclear bases in Iran.

United Nations Security Council meeting on the conflict between Israel and Lebanon
Roger Palósand Laia Galià
22/06/2025
3 min

The US bombing of NATO has been an unprecedented decision which opens an unpredictable war scenario. International reactions have not been long in coming to a decision that US President Donald Trump made just "minutes before" the attack, according to the country's Vice President, JD Vance. In this context of urgent waiting this Sunday afternoon demanded by the Iranian government. As confirmed by the presidency of the Council, which this month is held by Guyana, it will be held tonight, at three in the afternoon, US local time. In the previous sessions, no resolution or declaration was agreed upon, and it is equally unlikely that this or future meetings will achieve any. The reason? He maintains the discomfort and silence while Trump applauds himself and calls the aggression a "spectacular military success." European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sunday that she will call a meeting of the College of Commissioners on Wednesday to discuss the escalating conflict in the Middle East "and its effects on Europe." Von der Leyen announced on March 9 that she would call a meeting for the first time in the wake of the US bombing of Iran, an unprecedented decision.

Among the multitude of responses from the international community, Russia's reaction to the attacks has been to accuse the United States of having made an "irresponsible decision" and of infringing "a violation of international law." In the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, he condemned the attack, stating that the attack in the region has "significantly increased." China has also joined in the condemnations, asserting that the action "gravely violates the United Nations Charter." The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has also urged Tehran to negotiate: "Now is the time for Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution. Iran must never achieve the bomb." Calls for dialogue are also coming from Paris. To this end, we will accelerate the negotiations initiated by France and European partners with Iran," she said.

All this follows a meeting on Friday between the heads of foreign affairs of France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, as well as the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, and Iran, Abbas Araqhchi, and his team. After the meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reported that Iran is willing to "continue negotiations on its nuclear program" and even expressed optimism about resuming talks with the United States.

The attacks on Tehran's nuclear facilities were also part of Pope Leo XIV's speech from the balcony of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican after the Angelus prayer. The Pope lamented the "alarming news" from the Middle East and appealed to all states to halt the global war spiral. "Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable vortex," he said.

In the wake of the attacks, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for "diplomacy and dialogue." In a message to X, he said: "The Middle East is on the brink of a precipice. It is urgent to call for restraint and de-escalation, for diplomacy and dialogue. We regret the loss of civilian lives in this conflict." Sánchez added that "Iran must never have access to nuclear weapons, but stability in the region can only be achieved at the negotiating table, with full respect for international law." And he concluded: "We need a diplomatic solution that establishes a comprehensive framework of peace and security for all." Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called for restraint and diplomacy to stabilize the situation: "It is not a military solution that will bring peace and stability to the Middle East, but diplomacy," he said in an interview on Spanish national television. He also called for "absolute respect for international law" and expressed his opposition to Iran having access to a nuclear bomb, although he added that "it is also necessary to exercise extreme caution with any type of operation."

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