UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for the immediate de-escalation of the Israeli-Iranian conflict leading to a ceasefire.
In a statement, Guterres said he remains profoundly alarmed by the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran.
"I reiterate my call for the immediate de-escalation leading to a ceasefire. I strongly appeal to all to avoid any further internationalization of the conflict. Any additional military interventions could have enormous consequences, not only for those involved but for the whole region and for the international peace and security at large. I condemn this tragic and unnecessary loss of lives and injuries to civilians and damage to homes and critical civilian infrastructure. Diplomacy remains the best and only way to address concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program and regional security issues," Guterres said in the statement read by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric to the press.
The UN Charter remains the countries' shared framework to save people from the scourge of war, Guterres said, urging all (UN) member states to comply fully with the charter and international law, including international humanitarian law.
When asked about the possible U.S. intervention in the ongoing conflict, Dujarric said the Secretary-General is concerned about that and urges efforts to avoid internationalizing the conflict.
"It's very clear that he's very concerned. And his strong appeal is to avoid any further internationalization of this conflict," said Dujarric.
Israel on Friday launched surprise attacks on Iran, including its nuclear facilities. Iran immediately retaliated by launching missile and drone attacks on Israel. The two countries have struck each other daily since then.
UN chief calls for de-escalation of Israel-Iran conflict
