UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged an immediate halt to the ongoing violence and called for serious negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, following recent US support for Israeli strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
During an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Sunday, Guterres expressed concern, stating, “We now risk descending into a cycle of retaliation.” He emphasized the necessity for prompt and decisive action to stop the conflict and return to meaningful discussions.
Guterres noted that the people of the Middle East “cannot endure another cycle of destruction” and reminded Iran of its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), raised alarms over the attacks, highlighting a “sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security.” Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of radiation leaks. He mentioned that the Natanz facility faced “major damage,” which affected critical power infrastructure and underground areas containing uranium material, cautioning about possible chemical contamination and stating that the window for negotiations was narrowing.
Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned the US airstrikes, labeling them “another stain” on American political history. He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of entangling the US in “another baseless war” and remarked, “Once again, the internationally wanted war criminal Netanyahu succeeded in hijacking US foreign policy.”
In response, Russia’s UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, denounced the airstrikes as “irresponsible, dangerous, and provocative actions committed by the USA against a sovereign member of the United Nations.” He cautioned that the US had “opened a Pandora’s Box,” expressing uncertainty about the subsequent catastrophes and suffering it may cause. China’s envoy, Fu Cong, echoed these sentiments, asserting that the US actions “seriously violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.”
In defense of the strikes, the UK’s ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, stated that while the UK did not participate in the strikes, it firmly believes that “Iran must not have a nuclear weapon,” viewing Tehran’s program as a significant threat to international peace and security. Meanwhile, US Charge d’Affaires Dorothy Shea explained that the strikes aimed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities, asserting, “The time finally came for the United States, in defense of its ally and our own citizens and interests, to act decisively,” and she cautioned Tehran about any potential retaliation.
