Key facts
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned by renewed strikes between the US and Iran.
- Guterres condemned all attacks against civilians and urged parties to respect international humanitarian law.
- He called on the US and Iran to urgently return to diplomacy and negotiations.
- The UN chief warned that a return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences.
- Guterres stressed the urgent need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an urgent return to diplomacy between the United States and Iran following renewed military confrontations in the region. Guterres expressed "grave concern" over the escalating tensions, which include Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and US strikes on Iranian targets.
During a news conference, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that the Secretary-General "condemns all attacks against civilians" and recalled that all parties must respect international humanitarian law. Dujarric added that Guterres urged Washington and Tehran to "return urgently to diplomacy," emphasizing that a "comprehensive and durable settlement can be achieved only through dialog and negotiations."