Neither region nor world can afford more war: UN chief
Addressing the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which was convened after Iranian drone and missile launches into Israel, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said the ‘Middle East’ was on the brink, adding that neither the region nor the world can afford more war.
“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 said in his statement.
“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 deescalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint,” he added.
He also condemned the Iranian air raids into Israel to avenge the attack on its embassy in Syria, which left three of its top military generals dead, while calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
“I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening. And I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities,” the UN said.
“I remind all Member States that the Charter of the United Nations prohibits 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,” he added.
Guterres also dwelt on the on- going war between Israel and Ha- mas, reiterating the UN’s call for immediate ceasefire and uncon- ditional release of all hostages.
“We have a shared responsibility to secure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid,” he said.
“We have a shared responsibility to stop violence in the occupied West Bank, de-escalate the situation along the Blue Line, and re-establish safe navigation in the Red Sea,” he added.
G7 countries condemn Iran’s air raid on Israel
Condemning Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes on Israel, the leaders of the G7 countries said the Islamic nation has further ‘stepped up’ the destabilisation of the region, CNN reported.
“We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security,” read the statement, adding, “With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided.”
The G7 leaders vowed to continue working towards stabilising the situation and avoiding further escalation. “In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives,” the statement read further.
The meeting was chaired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
President of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also shared the details of the G7 meeting on her official X handle, posting, “Today, we, the G7 Leaders, condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel in the strongest terms. We express our solidarity and support to the people of Israel. And reaffirm our commitment towards its security.”