UN Secretary-General: The war in the Middle East has spiraled out of control

On March 25, UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke of a critical escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and appointed French diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy to resolve the situation. 

According to Ukrinform, during a speech at UN headquarters, he noted that the hostilities had triggered an uncontrollable chain reaction that threatens to escalate into a full-scale war with catastrophic consequences for the global economy. Guterres called on the parties to immediately halt the escalation and return to compliance with international law.

The Secretary-General called on the United States and Israel to halt military operations, and on Iran to cease attacks on neighboring states. Specific calls were made to stop Hezbollah’s shelling of Israel and to end Israeli operations in Lebanon, which are resulting in mass civilian casualties. The UN is particularly concerned about the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is blocking the supply of oil, gas, and fertilizers during the planting season. Guterres emphasized that the only way to minimize a global economic shock comparable to the consequences of Russia’s aggression is to immediately end the war through diplomatic means.

Iranian leadership rejected the U.S. proposal for a “framework” of a potential agreement to end the war.

Iranian national security analyst Morteza Simari stated that Tehran is prepared for a radical shift in the regional landscape. According to him, in the event of any military misstep by the U.S., the Iranian armed forces’ agenda includes advancing to the coastlines of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.