Antonio Guterres says time to start climbing diplomatic ladder and return to full respect of international law
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference at the Nasrec Expo Center in Johannesburg on November 21, 2025, ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.PHOTO: AFP
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that the Iran war has spun beyond all boundaries, declaring the conflict “out of control,” cautioning that the world faces the prospect of a far broader confrontation.
“More than three weeks on, this war is out of control,” Guterres told reporters at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, adding that “the conflict has broken past the limits even leaders thought imaginable.”
“The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock,” he said, stressing that it “has gone too far.”
Calling for an end to the military escalation, Guterres said. “It is time to stop climbing the escalation ladder and start climbing the diplomatic ladder, and return to full respect of international law.”
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Pointing to the key parties involved in the war, he said, “My message to the United States and Israel is that it is high time to end the war as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating.”
Guterres urged Iran to end attacks on the Gulf countries, arguing that they “are not parties to the conflict.”
Highlighting the economic ripple effects of the war, Guterres said, “The prolonged closure of the Strait (of Hormuz) is choking the movement of oil, gas, and fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season.”
The UN chief turned his attention to Lebanon and said, “Israel must stop its military operations and strikes in Lebanon, which are hitting civilians the hardest,” adding, “The Gaza model must not be replicated in Lebanon.”
Iranian missiles, drones rain down on Gulf countries as tensions spike
Missiles and drones rained down on Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain on Wednesday as Iran continued its retaliatory strikes against the ongoing US-Israeli attacks on the country.
The Saudi Defence Ministry said in a statement that air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and 31 drones over the Eastern Province.
The Civil Defence said debris from the intercepted missile fell on two homes, including one under construction, causing limited property damage. No casualties were reported.
In Kuwait, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said drones targeted a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire at the site. Initial reports indicated only material damage from the attack.
Kuwait’s National Guard said it shot down one drone and five unmanned aerial vehicles in areas under its protection.
In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said warning sirens sounded, without giving further details. It urged residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location.
Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
Saudi Arabia downs 28 drones, ballistic missile in Eastern Region
Saudi Arabia said it shot down 28 drones and a ballistic missile targeting the country’s Eastern Region.
In statements posted on the US social media company X early Wednesday, the Saudi Defense Ministry said the aerial threats were detected and destroyed by air defense systems before reaching their targets.
No information was provided on the source of the attacks.
The US and Israel have been carrying out airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
