UN Secretary-General António Guterres has cautioned that the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities risk escalating into a broader regional conflict. Addressing an emergency Security Council meeting on Sunday, Guterres stated that the strikes had not only intensified the threat to international peace and security but also caused “serious damage to the international order.”
The strikes marked the latest development in a series of Israeli-led attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, now in their tenth day. These assaults have triggered a cycle of deadly exchanges between Tehran and Tel Aviv. Guterres emphasized the urgency of diplomatic intervention, warning against what he described as a potential “rathole of retaliation.”
“The overnight U.S. military intervention in support of Israel’s campaign targeted three uranium enrichment facilities in Iran,” he said. “We must act immediately and decisively to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. The people of the Middle East cannot withstand another wave of destruction.”
The Secretary-General also called for an immediate ceasefire and urged Iran to fully adhere to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which he described as vital to global peace and security. While Iran has repeatedly denied ambitions to develop nuclear weapons, maintaining its programme is for peaceful energy purposes, Guterres insisted that all parties involved must choose diplomacy over warfare.
“One path leads to wider war, deeper human suffering, and lasting damage to the international system,” he warned.
Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, echoed Guterres’s concerns, describing the moment as “dangerous.” He highlighted the rising humanitarian toll of the conflict, noting that most of the 430 reported fatalities in Iran were civilians. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have confirmed 25 deaths and more than 1,300 injuries.
Jenča also raised alarms over the involvement of non-state armed groups such as the Houthis in Yemen, warning that their retaliation could further expand the conflict. He pointed out that Iran’s parliament has expressed support for closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime trade route, which could have global repercussions.
“The world will not be spared from the ramifications of this dangerous conflict,” Jenča stated, urging nations to uphold international law and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
