By Merve Aydogan
HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN Security Council warned its member states Thursday against "any actions that undermine" the work and office of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Switzerland's Permanent Representative to the UN, Pascale Baeriswyl, made a statement on behalf of the 15 members following a closed Security Council session.
Switzerland currently holds the term presidency for the Council.
"The members of the Security Council affirmed their full support for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his important role and that of the wider UN," the statement said.
Noting the "need for all Member States to have a productive and effective relationship with the Secretary-General," the Council members further urged "to refrain from any actions that undermine his work and that of his office."
"The members of the Security Council further underscored that any decision not to engage with the UN Secretary-General or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially in the context of escalating tensions in the Middle East," it added.
Earlier, Israel announced that it declared Guterres "persona non grata," banning him from entering the country after he demanded an urgent de-escalation in the Middle East.
Seeking to justify the move, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Guterres did not "unequivocally condemn" Iran for its missile attack Tuesday on Israel.
After the strikes, Guterres said: "I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation" and called for an immediate cease-fire.