By R Anil Kumar
Brussels, March 19, 2026. The US and Israel must end their bombing campaign before it spirals out of control, while Iran needs to stop attacking Gulf neighbours who have played no direct part in the war roiling the Middle East and beyond, the UN Secretary-General urged on March 19.
António Guterres was speaking to reporters outside the European Council in Brussels, where he briefed regional leaders on the importance of continuing multilateral cooperation between the EU and UN.
He said the United States and Israel need to end their assault on Iran before it spirals “completely out of control”, leading to more civilian suffering, especially in least developed nations where the consequences of rising energy prices and supply chain bottlenecks could have “tragic consequences.”
End the assault on energy:
Attacks in recent days by Israel and Iran on natural gas fields and other energy infrastructure in the Gulf have seen prices rise sharply for consumers, while multiple countries have called on Tehran to stop attacks and threats to shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz off the Iranian coast.
Mr. Guterres urged Iran: “Stop attacking your neighbours; they were never parties to the conflict. The Security Council has condemned these attacks,” and has also ordered the reopening of the Strait.
‘Enormous pain’:
“The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz causes enormous pain in so many people around the world that have nothing to do with this conflict,” the UN chief continued.
“It’s time for the force of the law to prevail over the law of force. It’s time for diplomacy to prevail over war,” he said.
Peace and Security:
Ongoing strikes across the Middle East stemming from the US-Israeli bombing of Iran and subsequent counter strikes in the Gulf by Tehran continue to drive humanitarian needs, civilian casualties and mass displacement. Concerns are also growing over maritime security, the economic crisis centred around the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, attacks on healthcare and the protection of critical infrastructure, including nuclear facilities.
