Iran
Despite Iran's uncompromisingly hostile stance to the US air strikes on Afghanistan, which the foreign ministry described as "unacceptable", there are signs that the country would be prepared to play a part in the war on terrorism. Tehran initially condemned the September 11 attacks in the US, but called for a United Nations response. In an interview with the Financial Times a week after the attacks on Afghanistan began, however, a senior Iranian official indicated the government could be prepared to offer intelligence assistance to the war on terror, although he stressed the need for the UN to lead action. Iran remains an enemy of the Taliban - it almost went to war against the regime in 1998 - and would like to see it replaced by a broad-based coalition government that could help it to stop the flow of refugees and drugs across its border. Despite the aparent softening of its stance against the US displayed in the interview, most of the regime's public statements remain anti-American. Back to map

Saudi Arabia
The cautious Saudi government remained silent after the US attacks. As guardian of Islam's holy places, and host to US military bases, the Saudi government stands alongside the US in Osama bin Laden's sights. Although the kingdom backed the fight against terrorism in general terms, refused Washington use of bases in the country in the operations against Afghanistan and made it clear a visit by UK prime minister Tony Blair would not be welcomed. Behind-the-scenes pressure from Riyadh may indeed have been responsible for an about-turn in US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Washington endorsed the principle of establishing a Palestinian state. Back to map

Israel
Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon has come under intense pressure from the US to reach an accommodation with the Palestinians in the wake of the September 11 attacks, and angrily told Washington not to "appease the Arabs at our expense". The prospect of any progress between Israel and the Palestinian Authority was dealt a grievous blow by the assassnation of Rehavam Zeevi, the Israeli tourism minister, by Palestinian militants, which led Israeli politicians to reiterate their view that the US war on terror was no different from its own battle with extreme Palestinian groups. The breach between the US and Israel was swiftly papered over, however, and Mr Sharon was among those informed in advance of the strikes on Afghanistan. Shimon Peres, foreign minister, called the military action a "brave decision" by US President George W. Bush. The defence ministry added that the strikes on Afghanistan did not raise any direct threats for Israel, though that could change if Iraq or other countries were targeted in a later stage of the US campaign. Back to map

Palestinian territories
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat used his speech to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference meeting in Qatar to call for international action against "all forms of dark terrorism, occupation... and hated racial discrimination", but combined condemnation of the September 11 attacks with that of the Israeli occupation. Anti-American protests have, however, posed a serious challenge to Mr Arafat's authority, with two people killed - the first time it has happened - in clashes between Palestinian police and protesting supporters of Osama bin Laden. Back to map

Egypt
President Hosni Mubarak is torn between his country's economic dependence on the US and the ever-present risk of a resurgence in Islamist violence in Egypt. Like others in the region, he supports the US-led anti-terrorism campaign in principle, but ha ruled out any commitment of troops saying "The Egyptian army is for the defence of Egyptian land". That said, the US has not requested Eyptian military support and is reported to be satisfied with the level of intelligence co-operation Egypt has supplied. Back to map

Syria
Syria - identified by the US as a state supporting terrorism but given added international weight by its UN Security Council seat - blamed Israel for the escalation of world terrorism and said the success of any anti-terror campaign depended on forcing Israel to abide by international law. Mohammad Mustafa Miro, the prime minister, called for an international conference on combating terrorism and distinguishing terrorist cells from groups trying to end the Israeli occupation of Arab lands. Back to map

Jordan
Jordan, a moderate voice in the Mideast region and key ally of the US, said it supported the global war against terrorism but that the world needed to deal with "the primary reasons which are causing frustration in our region and this means a just solution to the Palestinian problem." Jordan's King Abdullah gave full backing to the strikes against Afghanistan. Jordan's Islamists, who are perhaps the closest to the Palestinian cause invoked by Mr bin Laden, have also tempered their reaction. Despite strong condemnation of the air strikes, an Islamic Action Front spokesman, Al Sayed Hamza, said there were no immediate plans to launch any popular protests. Back to map

Bahrain
Bahrain is home of the headquarters of US Navy's Fifth fleet. Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Sulman al-Khalifa has reiterated the country's support for the global anti-terrorism campaign after the launch of the strikes against Afghanistan but warned against civilian casualties. Bahrain has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks against the US but urged restraint in any retaliatory action and said terrorism should be clearly defined. Back to map

Lebanon
Beirut said the strikes showed the US forcing its definition of terrorism on the world. It condemned the attacks on the US but said the "war on terrorism" should begin and end with the problem of Israeli occupation, and that Hizbollah and Palestinian militant groups were not terrorists. Lebanon's Hizbollah is still on the US list of terrorist organisations for its suspected role in attacks on US targets, including the bombing of the US Marines headquarters in Beirut in 1983, in which 241 servicemen were killed. Back to map

Iraq
It was no surprise that President Saddam Hussein of Iraq should denounce the military campaign against Afghanistan, saying that the US-led strikes would destabilise the world. In a statement on Iraqi television, the president - whose country said the attack was an "an act of agression that runs contrary to international law"... Today America has carried out an assault on the poorest among the peoples and countries of the world. We do not think that any of those who are true believers in God can but condemn this action." Many in Washington would like Iraq to be a target in the next phase of the war. Back to map