World leaders have called for a return to diplomacy after US and Israeli military strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Iran has vowed devastating retaliation, targeting US bases in Gulf states, as tensions escalate.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged the legal ambiguity of the US attack, stating that international law is being respected less globally. He said Germany shares the goal of ending the Iranian regime's 'terror' and its nuclear and ballistic missile program, but noted uncertainty over whether external military strikes can bring political change from within.
British Defence Minister John Healey reported that Iranian missile and drone strikes came within a few hundred yards of 300 British personnel in Bahrain, and two missiles were fired towards Cyprus, where the UK has bases. He said British planes will intercept any Iranian drones and missiles they see, though Cyprus denied any threat.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Khamenei's death a 'defining moment' and said there is now an open path to a different Iran. The EU is holding an emergency meeting to discuss next steps. Pope Leo XIV expressed profound concern and urged both sides to stop the spiral of violence.
At a UN Security Council meeting, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the alternative to de-escalation is a wider conflict with grave consequences. The Arab League condemned Iran's retaliation but refrained from directly commenting on the US-Israeli strikes.
