Guterres: "We are on the brink of a broader war"

UN Secretary-General Guterres made remarks to the media on the 2nd, once again calling on the United States and Israel to stop the war against Iran, while also urging Iran to stop attacking its neighboring countries.

Guterres said that this war is causing immense suffering to humanity and has already led to devastating economic consequences. The escalation of the Middle East crisis has been ongoing for more than a month, with the scale of destruction continuing to grow. Indiscriminate attacks are increasing, and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are on the rise—“we are on the edge of a broader war.”

Guterres said that, at present, diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a path to peace are under way. He is in close contact with all parties and has already dispatched his Personal Envoy, Jean Arnaud, to the region to help advance the above efforts.

Guterres emphasized that disputes must be resolved by peaceful means. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all UN member states must be respected. Civilians and civilian infrastructure, including nuclear facilities, must be respected and protected. Freedom of navigation must be maintained. He called on the leaders of the relevant countries to “choose dialogue over destruction” to end the conflict.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)