UN chief urges US, Iran to pursue peace talks, warns against escalation

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called for peace talks to end the war between the United States and Iran, urging maximum restraint and diplomatic solutions.

"If the sabre-rattling we are witnessing now translates itself into a major escalation, the situation in the region can get out of control," he told journalists in Cairo, Egypt.

The top diplomat's advocacy for dialogue comes as Washington prepares for a fresh military action, with Tehran warning that resumed fighting would trigger more regional attacks.

Guterres wants navigational rights and freedoms fully restored in and around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, both critical maritime corridors for global trade.

On Gaza, the Secretary-General commended Egypt’s essential role, acknowledging the country's efforts in mediation and humanitarian work since the beginning of the conflict.

Guterres demanded implementation of the UN Security Council-endorsed plan to end the Gaza conflict, and called on Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian assistance.

The UN chief decried Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank, citing expansion of settlements, evictions, surging violence, and attacks against journalists and diplomats.

Guterres stressed that there can be no lasting peace in the Middle East without recognising the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and upholding the two-state solution.

On the war in Sudan, the Secretary-General said "the fighting must stop" to allow an inclusive political process that preserves its unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Turning to Libya, Guterres encouraged stakeholders to build on political momentum, unify institutions and pave the way for national elections to bring the lengthy transition to an end.

UN chief urges US, Iran to pursue peace talks, warns against escalation