UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate de-escalation between Israel and Lebanon during a press conference in Beirut on Saturday, warning that escalating violence risks devastating large parts of the country.
"The south [of Lebanon] risks being turned into a wasteland. Southern Beirut, which is under sweeping evacuation orders by Israel, risks being bombed to oblivion. The Beqaa and Baalbek and other areas are scenes of destruction and panic. It is tragic to see all this happening in a country that has contributed so much to world civilization," the UN chief said.
Guterres said the UN is working intensively through diplomatic channels to halt the fighting and bring the parties back to dialogue.
Guterres stressed that there is "no military solution" to the conflict and urged the parties to stop the fighting and return to diplomacy and dialogue in line with the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1701.
"My message to the warring partners is clear. Stop the fighting. Stop the bombing. There is no military solution. Only diplomacy, dialogue and full implementation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions," he said.
Guterres also reiterated calls for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and stressed the need to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Public Health Ministry said the death toll from Israeli attacks in the country since March 2 has risen to 826, with 2,009 people wounded, and over 820,000 people displaced.
According to the ministry's Emergency Operations Center, the number of health workers killed rose to 31 after missing personnel were found under the rubble of a primary healthcare center in southern Lebanon, which was hit in an Israeli strike early Saturday.
Hezbollah announced the launch of rockets from Lebanon toward Israel on March 2 for the first time since a ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27, 2024. Israel subsequently launched an offensive military campaign against the group, carrying out intensive airstrikes on multiple areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as Beirut's southern suburbs.
UN chief urges de-escalation during Lebanon visit as death toll rises
UN chief urges de-escalation during Lebanon visit as death toll rises
UN chief urges de-escalation during Lebanon visit as death toll rises
Iran has received U.S. feedback on its latest peace proposal through Pakistani mediators, and talks between the two sides are still underway, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Baghaei said that although the United States had publicly rejected Iran's 14-point peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict, Tehran had still received revisions and concerns through mediator Pakistan.
Such dialogue is continuing through the mediator, he said, stressing that although Iran does not trust the United States, it is still participating in the negotiations based on national interests.
Baghaei said that Iran has submitted its response to U.S. revisions to the conflict resolution plan.
"We approach every diplomatic process with deep distrust and serious skepticism in order to safeguard the national interests of Iran. Iran is aware that, given the United States' track record of undermining negotiations, it may repeat the same actions at any moment," Baghaei said.
Baghaei also said the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz stems from military actions launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as what he described as violations of international law by the two countries.
Iran has taken relevant measures to ensure safety of navigation in the region, he said, adding that communication between Iran and Oman over issues related to the Strait of Hormuz is ongoing.
Baghaei said Iran harbors no hostility toward any country in the Middle East and called on all parties to remain vigilant against attempts by external forces to create division in the region.
Responding to repeated U.S. threats that military action against Iran could resume if no agreement is reached, Baghaei said threats and pressure have long been Washington's standard approach, but such tactics would not work on Iran.
He said Iran would continue advancing negotiations while closely monitoring developments and preparing for all possible scenarios.
Baghaei stressed that Iran would not abandon the rights granted to it under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and that the country is currently focused on efforts to end the conflict.
Also on Monday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing sources close to the Iranian negotiating team, said that Tehran had handed over its newest 14-point proposed plan for ending the war with the United States to Pakistan.
Pakistan will convey the plan to the United States, the report said.
The new proposal was submitted after Tehran revised its earlier 14-point draft in response to a recent U.S. proposal, the sources added.
According to the sources, Iran's new draft focuses on negotiations to end the war, as well as on "trust-building" measures.
In a separate report on Monday, Tasnim quoted another source close to the Iranian negotiating team as saying that, unlike previous U.S. drafts, Washington had agreed in its latest proposal to waive sanctions on Iranian oil during the negotiation period.
On the same day, however, a U.S. official said claims by the Iranian side that the U.S. had agreed to lift sanctions during the negotiations were false.
Iran, the United States and Israel reached a ceasefire on April 8 after 40 days of fighting that started with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Feb 28.
Following the truce, Iranian and U.S. delegations held one round of peace talks in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on April 11 and 12, which failed to yield an agreement.
Over the past weeks, the two sides have reportedly exchanged several proposed plans outlining conditions for ending the conflict through Pakistan.
Iran's foreign ministry says talks with US still underway
