UN chief warns world on brink of wider war amid Middle East crisis

The escalating conflict in the Middle East has entered its second month, prompting United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to warn that the world is “on the edge of a wider war” with potentially catastrophic global consequences.

Speaking to reporters outside the UN Security Council in New York, Guterres described a rapidly deteriorating situation as Israeli and US forces continue airstrikes on Iran, while Tehran targets neighboring Gulf states and threatens shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reports.

“Every day this war continues, human suffering grows. The scale of devastation grows. Indiscriminate attacks grow,” the Secretary-General said. He noted that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are increasing, while economic risks are spreading far beyond the region.

 Guterres emphasized that the crisis is no longer confined to the Middle East. He pointed to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, warning: “When the Strait of Hormuz is strangled, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe.” Rising food and energy prices are already straining households across countries such as the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Mozambique.

To help de-escalate the conflict, Guterres announced that he is sending his Personal Envoy, Jean Arnault, to the region to support diplomatic efforts. “The spiral of death and destruction must stop,” he said, stressing that any resolution must comply with international law and the UN Charter.

Addressing the main parties directly, the Secretary-General urged: “To the United States and Israel, it is high time to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering and already triggering devastating economic consequences.” He added that Iran must immediately end attacks on its neighbors.

“Conflicts do not end on their own,” Guterres concluded. “They end when leaders choose dialogue over destruction. That choice still exists. And it must be made now.”

By Vafa Guliyeva