UN Chief warns of ‘catastrophic consequences’ as US-Iran strikes continue

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate halt to escalating attacks across the Gulf, warning that a return to full-scale hostilities would have “catastrophic consequences” for the region and the global economy. In a post on X, Guterres expressed deep concern over US attacks on Iran and Iranian attacks on targets in neighbouring countries, including recent strikes on Kuwaiti border posts and an offshore oil platform.

“These attacks must all stop,” Guterres stated. “A return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences for the peoples of the region, for international peace & security & for the global economy.” He urged Iran and the United States to “urgently resume negotiations and to address outstanding issues through diplomacy.”

The UN chief’s warning comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated sharply following the collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire. A fresh round of strikes and counter-strikes has seen Iran launch missile attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while the US has conducted military operations to keep the waterway open. The attacks on Kuwaiti territory, including an offshore oil platform struck by a hostile drone, have heightened fears that the conflict could spread beyond Iran and the US to engulf the wider Gulf region.

Guterres’s call for an immediate halt to attacks reflects growing international concern over the potential for a wider conflict. The US and Iran have both traded threats, with President Donald Trump warning of devastating retaliation if Iran assassinates him, and Iranian officials vowing to respond to any US “adventurism.” The UN chief’s plea for diplomacy comes as Pakistan and Qatar continue their mediation efforts, urging both sides to return to negotiations under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

However, with both sides trading military strikes and rhetoric escalating, the prospects for a diplomatic resolution appear increasingly uncertain. The UN chief’s warning underscores the high stakes involved, as the international community watches closely for any signs of further escalation that could plunge the region into a wider and more devastating conflict. The coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomacy can prevail or whether the region will face the catastrophic consequences that Guterres has warned against.