The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is pulling the region to the "edge of the unimaginable", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, while stressed that finding common ground is essential.
Speaking at a Security Council high-level debate on the peaceful settlement of disputes, Guterres said conflicts in the region are increasing in number, complexity, length and scope, with an alarming disregard for international law, impunity spreading, and violations going unanswered.
"The situation is getting out of control. It's teetering on the edge of unimaginable. The region is being pulled into an ever-widening circle of confrontation. One crisis feeds another. One escalation triggers the next. As this dynamic spreads, the political objectives are becoming increasingly obscured by the confrontation itself," he said.
Noting that there is no military solution to the conflict in Iran, Guterres said that diplomacy is the only way forward.
While diplomacy may not have succeeded in preventing conflicts, it still holds the power to stop them, the secretary-general stressed.
Underscoring that the UN Charter remains humanity's best hope for peace, he called on Security Council members to "lead by example."
"Geopolitical divisions are not a reason for inaction or abdication. Most situations on the Council's agenda are complex. The best path to peace is through compromise and finding common ground. I urge all members of this Council to summon the spirit of compromise that is essential to peace. Keep the channels of dialogue open and spare no effort in the pursuit of peaceful settlement of disputes, a founding principle of this organization," he said.
The UN Chief also noted that an estimated 1.4 million people in the Gaza Strip are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity in the coming months, accounting for 70 percent of the total population.
He called for strengthening the UN's mediation role and urged the Security Council to take decisive actions as soon as possible to peacefully resolve the dispute through diplomatic means.
Middle East conflict on "edge of unimaginable": UN Chief
