UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that the conflict in the Middle East has gone "out of control" in the past three weeks, and urged all parties to end attacks and resort to diplomatic settlements.
Guterres made the statement at a press conference on the situation in the Middle East at the UN headquarters in New York.
"The conflict has broken past the limits even leaders thought ever unimaginable. The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock. This has gone too far. It's time to stop climbing the escalation ladder, and start climbing the diplomatic ladder, and return to full respect of international law," he said.
In the face of the devastating consequences, the UN chief urged all parties to prevent escalation of the conflict and to cease fire.
"My message to the United States and Israel is that it is high time to end the war as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating. And my message to Iran is to stop attacking their neighbors," he said.
He especially noted the economic spillovers, especially regarding global energy and food security, reliant on the crucial Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
"The Security Council has condemned these attacks and demanded that they end. And it has reaffirmed that respect for navigational rights and freedoms around critical maritime routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz, must be respected. The prolonged closure of the Strait is choking the movement of oil, gas, and fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season," he said.
Despite UN efforts to mitigate the impacts, Guterres demanded an immediate end to the war as the best and only way out.
"The UN system is deeply engaged in trying to minimize the consequences of the war. And the best way to minimize those consequences is clear. End the war immediately. War is not the answer. We need a way out of this disaster. Diplomacy is the way out. Full respect of international law is the way out. Peace is the way out," he said.
The secretary-general also confirmed at the press conference that he has appointed veteran French diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy to lead UN efforts to end the conflict, who has been appointed as the secretary-general's personal envoy on Colombia, Afghanistan, and Burundi Issues.
Guterres warns Iran conflict "out of control," calls for diplomatic settlements
Guterres warns Iran conflict "out of control," calls for diplomatic settlements
