Tensions in the Middle East have reached new heights after the United States launched a series of airstrikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear sites—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes in a fiery address, declaring the mission a “spectacular military success” that had “completely and obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity.

He warned that if Iran does not pursue peace, future attacks “will be far greater and a lot easier,” adding that many other targets remain on the table.

In a strongly worded response, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the strikes as an “egregious act of aggression” and “a grave and unprecedented violation” of international law.

The ministry accused the U.S. of acting in collusion with what it called the “genocidal Israeli regime,” and vowed that Iran would defend its sovereignty “by all force and means.”

Iran also called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to address what it described as a criminal act by a permanent member of the Council.

In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly said the US “must receive a response for their aggression.”

Amid mounting fears of a broader regional war, South Africa has issued a plea for diplomacy.

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed “a great deal of anxiety” over the U.S. intervention and said he had hoped Donald Trump would use his influence to urge dialogue instead of force.

The South African government has called on the U.S., Iran, and Israel to allow the United Nations to take the lead in resolving the dispute peacefully, including inspections of Iran’s nuclear programme.

As the international community scrambles to contain the fallout, the UN nuclear watchdog has confirmed that no rise in radiation levels has been detected at the bombed sites.

However, the political and security implications of the strikes continue to reverberate across global capitals.

UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres says he is gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran.

“This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security. There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control, with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”

He has called on UN Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.

READ: The US has entered the Israel-Iran war