U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday demanded an end to the conflict engulfing the Middle East, saying it is “high time” fighting stopped as it is “out of control” and threatens to subsume the entire world.
Speaking outside the U.N. Security Council in New York to journalists, the increasingly sidelined Guterres said the conflict had spiralled far beyond what leaders had anticipated.
“The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock,” he lamented before adding: “This has gone too far.”
The U.N. has been largely invisible and ignored on the world stage since the start of Operation Epic Fury almost four weeks ago, with Guterres focussed on observing Ramadan and supporting the world’s Islamic community.
The veteran Portuguese socialist has now delivered stark warnings to key actors, urging the United States and Israel “it is high time to end the war” while calling on Iran “to stop attacking their neighbours that are not parties to the conflict”.
He also stressed that freedom of navigation, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, must be respected, warning that its prolonged disruption is choking vital supplies of oil, gas and fertiliser.
Despite mounting tensions and continued military escalation, Guterres insisted the globalist U.N. can show the way forward through diplomacy.
“Diplomacy must prevail,” he said. “War is not the answer… We need a way out of this disaster.”
The U.N. did call an emergency Security Council meeting in February over the first U.S./Israel strikes against the Islamist regime in Iran, which U.N. leaders were quick to condemn, as Breitbart News reported.
Nothing came of the U.N. meeting except stern words and a warning.
The conflict has continued unabated ever since.
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