Several explosions were reported early Friday, April 19, in central Iran, with senior U.S. officials reporting an Israeli attack in retaliation for unprecedented drone and missile strikes against Israel last weekend. The Iranian Tasnim news agency, however, indicated, citing
“well-informed sources”
, that there was
“no information indicating an attack from abroad”.
In initial reactions, still very cautious, political leaders called to
“avoid an escalation”
.
No Israeli and American comments
“We have no comment at this time
,” an Israeli army spokesperson told AFP about the explosions. The White House for its part also did not immediately make an official comment.
But NBC and CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter and a US official respectively, reported that Israel had warned Washington in advance of the strike, without the United States approving the operation or do not participate in its execution.
European Union
“It is absolutely necessary that the region remains stable and that all parties refrain from any further action
,” said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a trip to Finland.
“We must do everything in our power to ensure that all parties refrain from any escalation in this region
,” she added.
G7
The head of Italian diplomacy Antonio Tajani, who is chairing a meeting of his G7 counterparts in Capri, called on Friday
“for caution and to avoid escalation”
.
“The G7 wants absolute de-escalation in a region plagued by serious tension
,” he added to public television RAI.
France
“France's position is to call on all partners in the region to de-escalate and exercise restraint
,” declared the French Minister for Europe, Jean-Noël Barrot, on French radio.
China
“China opposes any action likely to lead to an escalation of tensions and will continue to play a constructive role for a de-escalation
,” a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Lin Jian, assured the press.
Oman
Oman, a Gulf country which has long played mediator between Tehran and the West, condemned on Friday
“the Israeli attack this morning against Isfahan, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as Israel's repeated military aggressions in the region "
, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release published on X.
Australia
Citing a
“strong threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks
,” the Australian government urged Australians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to leave, the Department of Foreign Affairs wrote in a memo.
IAEA
The International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) calls in
a
message
on
She
“repeats that no nuclear installation should ever be targeted during military conflicts”
.