By Abiola Olawale
The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued an appeal for restraint as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel teeters on the brink of a full-scale war in the Middle East.
This appeal was contained in a press statement issued on Saturday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
In the statement, the Nigerian government expressed its deep concern over the intensifying hostilities, which have involved sustained missile and aerial attacks exchanged between Iran and Israel.
The federal government appealed to parties for an immediate end to the violence and urged both countries to show maximum restraint.
According to the statement, continued retaliation risks not only civilian lives but also threatens to destabilise the wider Middle East, with serious consequences for international peace and economic stability.
The statement reads in part: “The government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria condemns Israel’s preemptive strike on Iran that has led to an escalation of hostilities between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel, marked by sustained missile and aerial exchanges across both territories.
“Nigeria expresses its grave concern and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urges both parties to exercise utmost restraint in the interest of regional and global peace.
“The continued cycle of retaliation not only endangers civilian lives but threatens to plunge the broader Middle East into further instability, with implications for international security and economic development.”
The New Diplomat reports that this comes after Iran unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel on June 13, 2025, in retaliation for Israel’s strikes on its nuclear facilities and military leadership.
Israel had earlier launched an Operation Rising Lion which targeted Iran’s nuclear program, including the Natanz enrichment facility, and killed key figures like Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with several nuclear scientists.
