UN Chief Urges Immediate End to Middle East Conflict

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called on all parties involved in the Middle East conflict to bring an immediate end to the ongoing war and work towards a lasting peace through diplomatic means.

Guterres emphasized the need to halt violence in all conflict zones in the region, maintain regional stability, and fully restore international navigation rights and freedoms in the Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab straits.

He stressed that diplomatic dialogue is the only effective way to resolve the regional crisis, warning that the conflict, which began regionally, is now becoming a major cause of global instability.

Guterres noted that the conflict has affected international trade through the Hormuz Strait, leading to price increases in the global energy market, higher food and fertilizer prices, and disruptions to the global supply chain.

He pointed out that the conflict has particularly affected vulnerable countries that rely heavily on imports, citing World Food Programme data that around 450 million people worldwide are at risk of acute food insecurity, and rising prices could push millions back into poverty.

The Secretary-General welcomed the US initiative for Hamas to lay down its arms and for Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza, describing it as a positive signal. He emphasized that a clear basis for implementation has been established and that it is time for both parties to implement the agreement without any hesitation or obstacles.