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How did Arab states react to Israel's new strikes on Iran?

How did Arab states react to Israel's new strikes on Iran?
MENA
3 min read
Arab states have responded to an Israeli attack on Iran, a week after Tehran launched its own missile and drone strikes on Israel.
Iranians Celebrate Iran's IRGC Missile And UAV Attack Against Israel [GETTY]

Israel has reportedly targeted Iran and Syria with strikes on Friday, after Tehran launched hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles at Israel almost a week ago in retaliatory strikes.

Some Arab countries have responded to the attack on Iran, which comes amid concerns about regional conflict:

Oman

Oman, which has long mediated between Tehran and the West, condemned an "Israeli attack" on Iran on Friday.

"The Sultanate of Oman is following the continuing tension in the region and condemns the Israeli attack this morning on Isfahan," the foreign ministry said, adding that it also "condemns and denounces Israel's repeated military attacks in the region.

"Oman once again appeals to the international community to address the causes and roots of tension and conflict through dialogue, diplomacy and political solutions, and to focus on ceasefire efforts in Gaza and resort to international law and United Nations resolutions to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue".

Egypt

Egypt's foreign ministry said on Friday it was deeply concerned about an escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran following reports of an Israeli attack on Iran.

The world's largest Arabic-speaking country also warned of the consequences of expanding the conflict and instability in the region.

Jordan

Jordan's Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, said: "We warn against the danger of regional escalation. We condemn all actions that threaten dragging the region into war. Israeli-Iranian retaliations must end. The inhumane war on Gaza must end now. The focus of the world must remain on ending the catastrophic aggression on Gaza."

United Arab Emirates

"The ministry affirmed the importance of reaching substantial solutions to the ongoing disputes and crises in the region aimed at de-escalating tensions, in addition to resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomatic channels, and for adhering to the rule of law and respecting the United Nations Charter," the UAE foreign ministry said.

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Other non-Arab MENA countries also responded to the attack, including a muted response from Tehran.

Iran

An Iranian official told Reuters there were no plans to respond against Israel for the incident.

"The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed. We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," the official said.

Iranian media appeared to downplay the significance of the strike. Official statements made almost no mention of Israel—or, as it is often referred to, the "Zionist entity"—as being behind it. State television featured analysts and pundits who seemed dismissive of the scale.

Turkey

"In light of the latest developments, it is becoming increasingly evident that the tensions that were initially caused by Israel's illegal attack on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus risk turning into a permanent conflict," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"We are closely monitoring the events. We call on all parties to refrain from steps that could lead to a wider conflict."

"The priority of the international community should be to stop the massacre in Gaza and to ensure lasting peace in our region by establishing a Palestinian state."

Agencies contributed to this piece