Middle East remains 'highly volatile': UN

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A UN official expressed concern Monday over the tensions that have engulfed multiple countries in the Middle East, which continue to rise.

"The Middle East remains highly volatile. Long-term regional stability demands the implementation of a clear political roadmap in each of these situations," Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told a UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.

The Council convened for an urgent meeting at the request of Russia as the war in Gaza continues to fan tensions across the Middle East, with potentially dramatic consequences for regional peace and security.

The meeting came against the backdrop of a series of airstrikes by the US on targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday.

The US launched airstrikes against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria after a suicide drone attack killed three American troops in Jordan.

"The Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) continues his extensive outreach to all key stakeholders to urge all parties to take concrete measures to de-escalate tensions and to work towards sustainable political solutions that aim to resolve, rather than merely manage, longstanding conflicts," DiCarlo said.

She also said that Guterres has repeatedly warned about the risks of a further escalation and miscalculation in the region since the "horrific" attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7 and the devastating Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza.

"The risk of escalation in the Middle East and its potential consequences were obvious from 7 October. A quick survey of the agenda of this Council explains why: The UN is supporting political and peace processes throughout the region in countries emerging, or still suffering, from armed conflict," she added.

DiCarlo appealed to the Council to continue to actively engage all concerned parties to prevent further escalation and the worsening of tensions which undermine regional peace and security.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on Gaza following an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, killing at least 27,478 Palestinians and injuring 66,835 others, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.