UN chief urges halt to Gulf attacks, immediate return to diplomacy
As regional military tensions escalate, UN Chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday demanded an immediate end to Gulf attacks and urged the U.S. and Iran to resume talks.
- World
- Published Date: 08:43 PM 12 July 2026
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for an immediate end to attacks in the Gulf and urged Iran and the US to resume negotiations as military tensions escalate across the region.
Guterres is "deeply concerned" by renewed confrontations, including Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, US strikes on Iran, and Iranian attacks on targets in neighboring countries, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"These attacks must all stop," the statement said.
The UN chief called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalation, and take immediate steps to ease tensions.
He warned that a return to full-scale hostilities would have "catastrophic consequences" for the people of the region, international peace and security, and the global economy.
Guterres also stressed the need to restore full freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.
He urged Tehran and Washington to urgently return to negotiations and resolve outstanding issues through diplomacy.