Tehran, capital of Iran. UN: Iran strikes and retaliatory attacks undermine international peace and security Peace and security
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the military escalation in the Middle East, including the use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Iran’s subsequent retaliatory actions in the region. The UN press service made this statement today.
According to Guterres, what is happening undermines international peace and security.
The Secretary General recalled that all states are obliged to comply with international law, including the UN Charter, which expressly prohibits “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”
He called for an immediate end to the fighting, warning that otherwise there was a risk of wider regional conflict with dire consequences for civilians and stability.
The UN chief also urged all parties to immediately return to the negotiating table.
“There is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter,” he emphasized.
The conflict will lead to “destruction on an unimaginable scale”
President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Burbock, in her turn, reminded of the need to comply with the UN Charter.
“The UN Charter is clear: all member states must resolve international disputes by peaceful means in a manner that does not jeopardize international peace, security and justice,” she said.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that bombs and missiles are not a way to resolve differences, but “lead only to death, destruction and human suffering.” Civilians, he noted, “ultimately pay the highest price.”
Turk called on all parties to return to negotiations to avoid a wider conflict that would mean further civilian casualties and “destruction of a potentially unimaginable scale not only in Iran, but throughout the entire Middle East region.”
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was deeply concerned about the situation and called on leaders to “choose the difficult path of dialogue instead of the senseless path of destruction.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and called for restraint to avoid risks in the field of nuclear safety. The IAEA is in constant contact with countries in the region, and there is no evidence of “any radiological impact yet.”
Emergency meeting of the Security Council
French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation. The meeting is scheduled for 16:00 New York time.