President William Ruto has condemned the ongoing Israel and US attacks on Iran, calling for an urgent multi-stakeholder engagement to de-escalate the rapidly intensifying conflict in the Middle East.
Ruto’s remarks emerged a day after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a statement issued on Monday March 2, 2026, Ruto warned that the unfolding crisis threatens not only regional stability but also global peace and economic security.
Ruto said Kenya strongly condemns the strikes on the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain in the evolving conflict in the Middle East.
“Kenya strongly condemns the strikes on the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain in the evolving conflict in the Middle East.
“It is evident that the regionalisation of this conflict poses a grave threat to international peace and security,” read part of Ruto’s statement.
Ruto’s remarks come in the wake of a dramatic escalation of tensions after Khamenei was confirmed killed in coordinated military strikes by the US and Israel.
Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority since 1989, died alongside other senior officials as part of what US leaders described as operations targeting Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure.
The strikes triggered swift and wide-ranging retaliation by Tehran, with Iran launching missiles and drone attacks against Israeli and US bases in the Gulf, declaring its intention to avenge Khamenei’s death.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Khamenei’s assassination as a “declaration of war against Muslims.”
“We are not attacking our neighbours in the Persian Gulf countries, we are targeting the presence of the US in these countries. Neighbours should direct their grievances to the decision-makers of this war,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told Al Jazeera.
However, several Gulf countries have reported damage to civilian infrastructure, some of which officials say resulted from debris falling from intercepted missiles.
On the internal political front, Iran has established an interim leadership council to govern as the constitutional process of selecting a new supreme leader starts.
