World pushed for diplomacy, urges quick return to talks

AP Washington

The US strike on Iran fuelled fears that Israel's war with Tehran could escalate to a wider regional conflict, and other countries began reacting on Sunday with calls for diplomacy and words of caution.

President Donald Trump had said on Thursday that he would decide within two weeks whether to get involved. In the end, it took just days to decide, and Washington inserted itself into Israel's campaign with its early Sunday attack. Both the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hamas have condemned the US strikes. The Houthis vowed to support Iran in its fight against "the Zionist and American aggression."  

In a statement on Sunday, the Houthi political bureau called on Muslim nations to join "the Jihad and resistance option as one front against the Zionist-American arrogance." Hamas and the Houthis are part of Iran's so-called "Axis of Resistance," the collection of pro-Iranian proxies stretching from Yemen to Lebanon that for years gave Iran considerable power across the region.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters urged “all parties to return to talks.” He said the crisis is “the most serious I've ever dealt with" and that "critical further escalation is avoided. Diplomacy will deliver a more enduring resolution than further military action.”

A flash commentary from China's government-run media asked whether the US is repeating "its Iraq mistake in Iran." The online piece by CGTN, the foreign-language arm of the state broadcaster, said citing the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, “History has repeatedly shown that military interventions in the Middle East often produce unintended consequences, including prolonged conflicts and regional destabilization.”  

Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba is expected to hold a meeting with key ministers on Sunday afternoon to discuss the impact on Iranian nuclear facilities. Japan's largest- circulation newspaper Yomiuri is distributing an extra edition on the attack in Tokyo.

South Korea's presidential office said it would hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the security and economic ramifications of the US strikes and potential South Korean responses.

Australia, which shuttered its embassy in Tehran and evacuated staff on Friday, continued to push for a diplomatic end to the conflict. A government official said, “We note the US President's statement that now is the time for peace. We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.”