WASHINGTON, D.C. – UNITED Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced grave concern following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday (June 22), warning that the move risks further destabilizing an already volatile Middle East.
The United States reportedly deployed bunker-busting bombs to target key Iranian nuclear facilities, urging Tehran afterward to refrain from retaliation and instead pursue diplomatic engagement.
In a post on social media platform X, Guterres wrote: "I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”
The U.S. strikes mark its formal entry into the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, with Israel being a close American ally. Guterres warned that the latest developments heighten the risk of the conflict spiraling out of control, with “catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”
He urged all UN Member States to act responsibly: "I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the @UN Charter and other rules of international law."
The UN Security Council is set to meet today to discuss the situation. International observers have raised concerns that the attacks may have compromised Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts, potentially causing leaks or environmental hazards.
The Secretary-General reiterated his call for restraint and diplomacy, stating firmly that “there is no military solution” to the crisis.
