Afghanistan

Karzai and Abdullah condemn Israeli strikes on Iran as violation of international norms

KABUL — Former President Hamid Karzai and former peace council chief Abdullah Abdullah have strongly condemned Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran, describing the attacks as a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability.

In a statement posted on X, Karzai called Iran “a good neighbor with shared historical and cultural ties to Afghanistan,” and praised the country for its support of the Afghan people over the years. He emphasized that the world today “needs peace more than ever” and that people globally are eager to see an end to conflict.

“The people of Afghanistan, who have themselves endured the devastation of war, understand its destructive consequences,” Karzai said. “They consider conflict and instability in the region to be detrimental to all, and call for peace, respect for international rules, and adherence to global norms by all nations.”

Abdullah Abdullah, former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, also denounced the strikes, calling them a blatant violation of international law and “a clear manifestation of the Zionist regime’s expansionist and terrorist policies.”

“At a time when diplomatic talks are underway between Iran and Western countries, and as the people of Gaza continue to suffer under a prolonged and severe humanitarian blockade, these attacks reflect Israel’s true and dangerous intentions to ignite regional crisis and widespread instability,” Abdullah said in a statement.

He called on international bodies, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the broader global community, to break their silence and take a clear stance against what he described as acts of aggression. He urged them to intervene decisively to halt what he termed the regime’s “criminal actions.”

According to Iranian state media, the Israeli strikes killed at least six senior military and nuclear officials, as well as 12 civilians. The attacks, which Israel has described as a preemptive effort to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions, have drawn widespread international concern over the possibility of broader escalation in the region.