Guterres reiterates his denunciation of the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus as well as Iran’s strikes on Israel.
In his presentation to the Security Council on Sunday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned the world community against plunging further into warfare in response to Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend.
“More war is not something the world or the region can afford,” stated Guterres.
“We are living in a dangerous time,” he declared before the Security Council.
The residents of the area are in grave risk of a catastrophic, all-out war. He went on to say, “Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate,” urging “maximum restraint.”
Iran fired a barrage of more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel late on Saturday, marking the first time Iran had attacked the country directly.
Israel and other countries, such as the US, Jordan, and the UK, intercepted almost all of them.
The Israeli army reported that twelve persons were hurt.
Iran said that its hit was in retaliation for a fatal airstrike on Tehran’s embassy building in Damascus, Syria, on April 1. The incident was widely attributed to Israel.
Seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards were killed in that attack, two of them senior generals, and Iranian promises of revenge followed.
The remarkable conversation, which represents a significant escalation in tensions between the two nations, has reignited concerns about a wider conflict and the possibility of an Israeli counterattack.
“Retreat from the edge.”
On Sunday, President Joe Biden issued a warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “think carefully” about any escalation in the situation and stated that the United States would not support an Israeli strike on Iran.
Tensions are mounting against the backdrop of Israel’s six-month-old war in Gaza, which started on October 7 in response to an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas.
The health ministry in Gaza reports that at least 33,729 individuals have died as a result of Israel’s onslaught, the majority of whom were women and children.
Attacks on Israeli and Western targets have been launched by groups sponsored by Iran in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen since the beginning of the conflict.
Israel requested that the Security Council meet on Sunday to discuss the brewing crisis.
Throughout his address, Guterres reiterated his denunciation of the Israeli assault on the Iranian consulate in Damascus as well as Iran’s strikes against Israel.
“Remove yourself from the edge now. Any move that can result in significant military conflicts in the Middle East on several fronts must be avoided, according to Guterres.
In addition, he reiterated his demand for a “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza, where starvation experts say is imminent.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD
