New York: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today issued a dire warning to an emergency meeting of the Security Council, stating that the “massive overnight strikes by the United States on Iran’s nuclear facilities only increase the risk of a wider war and serious damage to the international order.”
In a somber address, the UN chief pleaded that “diplomacy and dialogue must prevail” to prevent the Middle East from descending into an uncontrollable cycle of retaliation. “The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation,” Guterres emphasized.
He stressed that there is no military solution to the current crisis and reiterated his consistent calls for all parties to exercise maximum restraint and adhere to international law. Guterres’s remarks underscore the growing international alarm over the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East following the recent military actions and counter-actions.
