Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has sharply criticized the United States and Israel for what he described as an unjustified attack on Iran, saying it lacked any basis in international law. In a post on social media platform X on Tuesday, he called for an immediate halt to the assault in the interest of Iran’s innocent children and global peace.

Swinney said Tehran was burning, with streets engulfed in flames, schools bombed, and thousands killed, describing the situation as indefensible. He urged diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and end the ongoing war. The conflict intensified after the United States and Israel launched a joint strike on Iran on February 28, which reportedly killed around 1,300 people, including then–Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has since retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.