Guterres maintains contact with parties to end Iran conflict: spokesman

China

Guterres maintains contact with parties to end Iran conflict: spokesman

2026-03-12 11:41 Last Updated At：15:17

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has maintained contact with involved parities, including the Gulf states, and is doing everything he can to mediate an end to the ongoing conflict in Iran, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Dujarric said the UN chief expressed deep concern over the spillover effects of the conflict and its impact on the global economy.

Guterres emphasized that all parties must fully respect international law and international humanitarian law, and refrain from any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, the spokesman said.

"The Secretary-General has been speaking to a number of parties, notably in the Gulf and to Iran, pushing towards doing whatever he can, and however he can be helpful towards an end to the conflict," said Guterres.

Regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by U.S. forces in strikes on Iran, Dujarric said that Guterres has long voiced concerns about the use of AI in conflict, especially when it comes to the use of autonomous weapons that are released without any human control.

Also on Wednesday, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher expressed deep concern over the situation in the Middle East.

Speaking in Geneva, he warned that the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran are causing massive economic losses every day, while UN humanitarian aid programs continue to face severe funding shortfalls.

Middle East conflict drives up energy costs: European Commission president

The Middle East conflict has imposed heavy economic costs on Europe, driving up energy prices and adding billions of euros to import bills, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

"Since the beginning of the conflict, gas prices have risen by 50 percent and oil prices by 27 percent," von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She said 10 days of war had already cost European taxpayers an extra 3 billion euros (3.48 billion U.S. dollars) for fossil fuel imports.

Von der Leyen said the European Commission is assessing additional measures to lower energy bills, including a possible cap on gas prices.

She said the EU had diversified its fossil fuel supplies in recent years, but "this does not mean that we are immune to price shocks. Energy markets are global."

The surge marks the second time in recent years that geopolitical conflict has triggered sharp rises in EU energy costs, following the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.

The commission is also pushing nuclear power to boost production and cut prices. Von der Leyen announced on Tuesday a 200 million euro (231.75 million dollar) EU guarantee to support private investment in innovative nuclear technologies.

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen urged member states on Tuesday to cut energy taxes where possible, particularly on electricity, to lower consumer bills.

The commission on Tuesday also unveiled a Clean Energy Investment Strategy aimed at channeling private financing into power grids, clean energy technologies and energy efficiency.