UN chief urges de-escalation in call with Iran’s foreign minister after Israeli attacks

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday following Israeli attacks on Iran, urging restraint and warning of the risks of a broader conflict, according to a UN spokeswoman.

“They, as you can imagine, discussed the situation created by the events unfolding in the past few hours,” said Stephanie Tremblay, speaking to reporters in New York.

Guterres “reiterated the position he expressed publicly,” Tremblay noted, emphasizing that the UN chief had condemned any further military escalation in the Middle East and called for avoiding “at all costs” a deadly confrontation that could spiral beyond control.

Israeli forces attacked Iran in the early hours of Friday, with Netanyahu presenting it as an attempt to "eliminate" Tehran's nuclear and missile capabilities, causing a dramatic increase in regional tensions.