UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the Middle East conflict is at risk of “descending into a rat hole of retaliation after retaliation”, after the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites.
Mr Guterres was speaking at an emergency session of the Security Council focused on the expanding Israel-Iran conflict. The war began when Israel launched a “pre-emptive” strike against nuclear and military targets in Iran 10 days ago.
“We must act immediately and decisively to halt the fighting and return to serious sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme,” he added.
He then urged all states to act with reason, restraint and urgency, pleading for all those present at the meeting to not give up on peace.
Rafael Grossi, head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, said initial evidence suggested that Iran’s Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites had been hit by powerful ground-penetrating missiles, while Isfahan's nuclear centre was hit by cruise missiles. He added that Iran has indicated there has been no increase in radiation levels near the three sites.
“I am ready to travel immediately and to engage with all relevant parties to help ensure the protection of nuclear facilities and the continued peaceful uses of nuclear technology in accordance with the agency's mandate,” Mr Grossi said. He said that the International Atomic Energy Agency was ready to send nuclear safety and security experts to Iran immediately.
He warned of the consequences that might be felt as a result of the US strikes should Iran respond militarily.
“Let us not allow the window to close on diplomacy,” Mr Grossi said.
The UK and France said that while they continue to agree that Iran must not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, they did not take any part in planning or carrying out the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites on Saturday.
They also pushed for diplomacy to prevail, and urged Iran not to worsen the situation.
China strongly condemned the US strikes.
“The actions of the US violate the UN Charter as well as Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” China's ambassador to the UN Fu Cong said, calling for an immediate ceasefire to prevent an escalation.
Russia’s ambassador said the already delicate situation in Iran had been significantly aggravated by the US strikes.
“Washington once again shows its complete contempt for the international community and law,” Vasily Nebenzya said.
China, Russia and Pakistan have issued a draft resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire and a push for the protection of civilians affected in and around Iran.
Days before the Saturday attack by the US, Iran called on Mr Guterres to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter as the conflict with Israel continued. The article empowers the Secretary General to bring to the Security Council’s attention any matter that may threaten international peace and security.
“Failure to act at this pivotal and perilous moment would constitute a profound abdication of the Security Council's responsibilities,” said a letter sent to the UN, seen by The National.
The US hit back against those accusations, calling Iran the world's foremost state sponsor of terror.
“For 40 years, the Iranian government has called for death to America and death to Israel, and posed a constant menace to the US, and the entire world,” US acting deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea said, claiming that a recent IAEA report conclusively showed that Tehran had continued to accelerate its nuclear capabilities.
“Iran has long obfuscated its nuclear weapons programme and stonewalled good faith efforts in recent negotiations.”
Iran condemned the US and Israel's “brutal aggression”.
“Once again, the world has witnessed the blatant corruption of the US political system … and over the past 10 days, Israel has continued a barbaric assault on the international bodies,” said Amir Iravani, Iran's ambassador to the UN.
Mr Iravani insisted that Iran was interested only in peaceful nuclear energy.
Israel blamed the UN Security Council for failing to check Iran's nuclear programme earlier. Israel has said Iran was within days of gaining a nuclear weapon.
“You were silent, you were complicit, you were afraid, you were bystanders,” Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told the council. “The United States acted not just for itself, but for every nation that values freedom over radicalism.”
He said that Iran's nuclear programme “was not a diplomatic puzzle – it was a loaded gun pointed at the heart of the international system and the stability of the world”.
The Gulf Co-operation Council, represented by Kuwait, repeated its call for de-escalation.
“We call for an immediate cessation of military actions and exercise of maximum restraint, avoiding anything that could lead to a spillover of this conflict,” said Faisal Al Enezi, charge d'affaires at Kuwait’s mission to the UN.
“GCC countries are firmly committed to support all regional and international efforts aiming at defusing this crisis and consolidating security and stability and to preserve the interests of peoples in the region and the world.”
