The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday after the U.S. carried out a bombing attack on Iran's nuclear sites with all parties calling for a de-escalation and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the meeting that 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."
After ten days of airstrikes initiated by Israel aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear program which have led to deadly daily exchanges of missile fire between Tehran and Tel Aviv, the UN chief said that diplomacy must now prevail.
"We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation," he said, responding to the U.S. intervention overnight in support of Israel's military campaign, which targeted three facilities involved in uranium enrichment.
"We face a stark choice. One path leads to wider war, deeper human suffering and serious damage to the international order. The other leads to the deescalation, diplomacy and dialogue. We know which path is right, and I urge this council and all member states to act with reason, restraint and urgency. We cannot and must not give up on peace," Guterres said.
UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told the council that the conflict "risks engulfing the region in further instability and volatility," and pointed out that "some non-state armed groups aligned with Iran warned against U.S. involvement."
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said via video link that the global nuclear non-proliferation regime is facing severe threats. The U.S. military bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, and related damage cannot be assessed yet, he noted.
Grossi called for an immediate ceasefire to allow IAEA inspectors to enter the sites for verification, including the whereabouts of 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
"Military escalation threatens lives and delays a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapon. It also threatens the global non-proliferation regime," he said.
China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Sunday condemned the United States for its strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The U.S. move seriously violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, as well as Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. It has exacerbated tensions in the Middle East and dealt a heavy blow to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, he said.
The international community must uphold justice and make concrete efforts to cool down the situation and restore peace and stability, Fu said, calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the hostilities.
UN Security Council holds emergency session after US strikes Iran's nuclear sites
UN Security Council holds emergency session after US strikes Iran's nuclear sites
