UN Secretary-General Calls for Diplomacy Amid Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict

By Ahora Qadi

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday issued a solemn appeal for peace during a high-level address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, urging all parties involved in the spiraling Iran-Israel conflict to “give peace a chance” before the situation spins irreversibly out of control.

“In every era, there are moments that define us,” Guterres said. “Moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but potentially our collective future. This is such a moment.”

“Give Peace a Chance”

Addressing both current and potential actors in the conflict, as well as the UN Security Council, the Secretary-General emphasized: “To the parties to the conflict — and to the Security Council as the representative of the international community — I have a simple and clear message: Give peace a chance.”

Guterres warned that the confrontation between Israel and Iran is escalating rapidly, inflicting a devastating toll on civilians, destroying homes, and striking nuclear facilities. “We are not drifting toward war — we are rising toward it,” he said. “We are not witnessing isolated incidents — we are on course to potential chaos. The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen.”

Nuclear Stakes and the Trust Gap

Central to the Secretary-General’s speech was the issue of nuclear non-proliferation. Guterres acknowledged that it is “easy to list the problems that have strained Israeli-Iranian relations over the past decade,” but stressed that “the central question in this conflict is the nuclear question.”

He emphasized the critical importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a cornerstone of global security, stating: “Iran must respect it. Iran has repeatedly stated that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, but let’s recognize there is a trust gap.”

The only way to bridge that gap, he said, is through credible diplomacy — which must include full access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.

Call for Ceasefire and Negotiations

Guterres called for an immediate end to hostilities and the resumption of serious negotiations, urging the UN Human Rights Council to act with “unity and urgency” to support dialogue. “In this defining moment, I urge everyone to rally behind the sole path that can deliver lasting peace: diplomacy,” he said.

A Warning Against Future Regret

Concluding his address, the Secretary-General reminded the international community of the unpredictable consequences of continued warfare. “Let us not look back on this moment with regret,” he said. “Let us act together to pull the region and our world back from the brink.”