UN Secretary-General calls for restraint amid escalating Middle East conflict

In an urgent appeal on Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged maximum restraint following Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel on late Saturday.

These attacks were in response to Israel’s assault on the Iranian consulate in Syria on 1 April, which resulted in the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards officers, including two senior commanders.

“The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint,” Guterres stated, emphasizing the precarious situation.

Iran initiated the assault on Saturday, launching hundreds of drones and missiles from its territory toward Israel, though most were intercepted.

Guterres noted that “several missiles reportedly struck within Israeli territory, one of which damaged an Israeli military facility in the south of the country. Overall, a few civilians were injured.”

The Iranian action was declared as a response to “the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on April 1, 2024, against Iranian diplomatic premises (in Damascus),” according to a letter from Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN, addressed to the president of the Security Council.

Reiterating the principles of international law, Guterres reminded the global community that “the UN Charter prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state and that the principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases.”

He further urged, “It’s time to step back from the brink. It is vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” highlighting the dire consequences of escalation.

Guterres called on the international community to engage all parties to prevent further escalation, secure an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and facilitate the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.

He also stressed the necessity to halt violence in the occupied West Bank, de-escalate the situation along the Lebanon-Israel border, and re-establish safe navigation in the Red Sea.

“We have a shared responsibility to work for peace. Regional, and indeed global, peace and security are being undermined by the hour. Neither the region nor the world can afford more war,” Guterres concluded.

Recent tensions in the region have escalated since Hamas’ deadly 7 October terror attack against Israel last year, which resulted in 1,169 fatalities, primarily among civilians.

According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, in the past 24 hours, “the Israeli army killed 43 Palestinians and wounded 62 others,” bringing the total death toll to 33,729 and injuries to 76,371 since the conflict began on 7 October 2023.