UN Secretary-General warns against dangerous escalation in Middle East

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has expressed serious concern over the recent attacks in South Beirut and Tehran, describing them as a dangerous escalation. He emphasized that efforts should instead be focused on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages, significantly increasing humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, and restoring calm in Lebanon and across the Blue Line. "Rather than that, what we are seeing are efforts to undermine these goals," Guterres stated. "The Secretary-General has consistently called for maximum restraint from all parties. However, he now believes that restraint alone is insufficient in this extremely sensitive time. He urges everyone to vigorously work towards regional de-escalation in the interest of long-term peace and stability," Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said in a statement. "The international community must unite to prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, leading to devasta ting consequences for civilians. The Secretary-General asserts that the way to achieve this is through comprehensive diplomatic action for regional de-escalation," the statement, which was released by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, read. Source: National News Agency - Lebanon