UN chief warns Israel-Iran escalation 'racing toward crisis'

HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned the Security Council that the confrontation between Israel and Iran is "racing" towards a crisis at an alarming rate and urged all parties to "give peace a chance."

"Moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but the future of humanity. This is such a moment," Guterres said at an emergency session of the council on the hostilities between Iran and Israel, at the request of Algeria, China, Pakistan, and Russia.

Guterres warned of the consequences of inaction amid growing hostilities in the region, saying: "The confrontation between Israel and Iran is escalating rapidly with a terrible toll – killing and injuring civilians, devastating homes, neighborhoods and infrastructure, and attacking nuclear facilities."

"We are not drifting toward crisis, we are racing toward it," he said, adding that "the expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control."

Stressing that the Non-Proliferation Treaty remains a cornerstone of global security, he urged Iran to respect its obligations under the agreement.

"Non-proliferation is a must for the safety and security of us all," he said. "And Iran has repeatedly stated that it is not seeking nuclear weapons. Let's recognize there is a trust gap."

The UN chief called for diplomacy to resolve the nuclear issue, including full access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.

Calling on the Security Council to act with "unity and urgency," Guterres stressed: "The only way to bridge that gap is through diplomacy to establish a credible, comprehensive, and verifiable solution."

"Let us act responsibly and together to pull the region and our world back from the brink," he said.

Hostilities broke out last week when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.

Meanwhile, in Iran, 639 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to Iranian media reports.