The New Zealand Government has strongly condemned Iran’s “indiscriminate retaliatory attacks” on multiple countries in the Middle East, calling for a swift end to the regional crisis and a return to international negotiations. However, this official stance has been met with sharp criticism from the Green Party, who have condemned the initial actions by the US and Israel as an “illegal and unprovoked act.”
In a press release, the government stated it “condemns in the strongest terms Iran’s indiscriminate retaliatory attacks on Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan,” adding that further regional escalation and risk to civilian life “cannot risk.”
The government reiterated its long-standing condemnation of Iran’s nuclear programme, regional destabilisation, and the “repression of its own people.” While condemning Iran, the release acknowledged that the preceding “actions taken overnight by the US and Israel were designed to prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and security.” The government called on the Iranian leadership to “seek a negotiated solution that returns Iran to the community of nations.”
In contrast, Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson labelled the initial event a “unilateral attack on Iran” by “Trump and Netanyahu’s” that “must be condemned as an illegal and unprovoked act.” The party described the escalation as part of a “decades’ long pattern of behaviour of the US dragging the region into more wars, violence, and bloodshed.”
The Green Party also directly criticised Prime Minister Luxon’s response, citing his “failure to condemn Trump’s illegal actions” as a “lack of leadership or moral courage.” The party is urging the government to “condemn illegal warmongering, and unreservedly advocate for diplomacy, international law, and peace for the Iranian people.”
Meanwhile, the government advised New Zealanders in the region to “shelter in place” and follow the advice of local authorities, urging them to register on SafeTravel and use the 24/7 Consular Emergency Line for urgent assistance. Both statements acknowledged the plight of the Iranian people demanding change, with the government recognising their courage and the Green Party advocating for peace.