UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged "maximum restraint" on the Iran situation and called on all actors to refrain from any actions that could lead to further loss of life or ignite a wider regional escalation, Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee said on Thursday.
Briefing an emergency meeting of the Security Council at UN headquarters in New York City, Pobee said that the protests that erupted in Iran in late December 2025 have escalated into nationwide unrest, resulting in significant casualties.
"The situation in Iran is fluid and deeply concerning. All efforts must be undertaken to prevent any further deterioration. The Secretary-General remains convinced that all concerns regarding Iran, including those related to the nuclear issue and ongoing protests, are best addressed through diplomacy and dialog," said Pobee at the meeting called by the United States.
The U.S. ambassador to the UN said that all options are on the table in support of the Iranian people, while Gholamhossein Darzi, Iran's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, warned the U.S. that it will respond to any act of aggression, saying the U.S. representative has "resorted to lies, distortions of facts and deliberate disinformation to conceal his country's direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran towards violence."
"We categorically reject all politically motivated accusations made today against my government. The facts on the ground contradict the fabricated narratives presented by the United States regime and its allies at this meeting. It is shameful that the United States regime transferred this esteemed body to a scene for theater and show for baseless accusation and statement. This is in line with the United States regime in dismantling and disgracing the United Nations system," he said. Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that the U.S. has continued to escalate tensions and hysteria in Iran, while threatening new strikes against the country.
He added that the meeting called by the U.S. is nothing but an attempt to justify blatant aggression and interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
Russia demands that the United States and its like-minded partners refrain from further reckless steps, including those involving nuclear facilities, and rather focus on providing solid assurances against further confrontation and resume joint efforts to find potential solutions, said the ambassador.
UN urges "maximum restraint" on Iran situation
