Overview

• The Pentagon called the June 20 operation a “targeted preemptive action” on Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons development.
• Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev warned unnamed countries are ready to directly supply Iran with nuclear warheads, escalating proliferation concerns.
• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter to reserve Tehran’s right to self-defense and announced plans to consult with President Putin on a response.
• Russia’s Foreign Ministry denounced the U.S. strikes as a violation of international law and the UN Charter’s prohibition on attacks against sovereign states.
• The United Nations and other international actors have condemned the strikes and urged de-escalation to prevent a wider Middle East conflict.