Attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes ‘undermine international peace and security’

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the heads of UN agencies have condemned Saturday’s joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and the Gulf Regions.

The attack on Iran reportedly targeted military sites as well as the leadership of the Iranian regime. Explosions were heard in Israel and Gulf countries after Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles.

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Mr. Guterres declared that the military escalation in the region undermines international peace and security, and recalled that all Member States must “respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations,” which prohibits “the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”

 The UN Chief called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation and warned that a failure to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability. 

Risk of ‘destruction on an unimaginable scale’

Senior officials added their own responses on Saturday morning: Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that bombs and missiles are not the way to resolve differences but “only result in death, destruction and human misery.” Civilians, he noted, “end up paying the ultimate price.”

Mr. Türk called for all parties to return to negotiations in order to avoid a wider conflict that would mean further civilian deaths and “destruction on a potentially unimaginable scale, not just in Iran but across the Middle East region.”

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement that he was deeply troubled by the situation and urged leaders to “choose the challenging path of dialogue over the senseless route of destruction.” 

Emergency Security Council meeting scheduled

A Security Council meeting to discuss the attacks has been called by French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting is scheduled for 4PM Eastern Time on Saturday.

Follow the meeting live on UN News and on UN WebTV

Reactions from across the UN system

• António Guterres, UN Secretary-General “I condemn today’s military escalation in the Middle East. The use of force by the United States & Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace & security.”
• Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) “I am deeply concerned about the current situation in the Middle East. My heart is with the civilians caught in the crossfire.”
• Volker Türk, High Commissioner of Human Rights “As always, in any armed conflict, it is civilians who end up paying the ultimate price.”
• Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly “The UN Charter is clear: all Member States must settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.”
• International Atomic Energy Agency “The IAEA is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East, and urges restraint to avoid any nuclear safety risks to people in the region.”