Guterres: Warning of Escalation Risk in the Middle East

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of the risk of a new cycle of retaliation in the Middle East following the United States' airstrikes against Iran.

During an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Iran, Guterres stressed that he has repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the region. "The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction, yet we risk plunging into a new endless cycle of retaliation," he stated.

The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, also expressed concern about the risk of the war spreading and called for restraint. "We have a window of opportunity to return to dialogue and diplomacy. If that window closes, violence and destruction could reach incredible levels," he noted.

Grossi stressed that the IAEA is unable to assess the damage from the US strikes on the Iranian uranium enrichment facility in Fordow and expressed concern about a possible release of radioactivity.

During the session, China and Russia condemned the US bombings, while France and Britain stressed that they did not participate and called on Iran to exercise restraint. Iran blamed Israel and the United States.