UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Israel and Iran should try to quell the violence following clashes in recent days with missile attacks.
Iran fired about 350 rockets towards Israel on Saturday night, raising fears of a regional war after Israel attacked Iranian military leaders in Syria last week.
“Now is the time for maximum restraint,” Guterres told an emergency United Nations meeting held at the request of the Israeli delegation on Sunday.
The large-scale attack by Iran is a major escalation in the conflict between the two countries, which has called on Israel to support proxy militias in Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.
“The people of the region face a real risk of a devastating all-out conflict. Now is the time to calm the situation and de-escalate tensions,” Guterres said. “The time has come to pull back from the brink. It is critical that we avoid actions that could lead to large-scale military conflict on multiple fronts in the Middle East.”
Some Israeli leaders have vowed retaliation but have avoided calling for all-out war against Iran.
President Isaac Herzog clarified on Sunday that Israel was “not seeking war” with Iran, but said the missile attack “must be responded to accordingly.”
President Biden also reportedly pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to pursue a larger conflict with Iran.
Guterres’ comments come after he passionately supported a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The United Nations has been the most vocal advocate for a moratorium on fighting, citing widespread civilian deaths and a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.
He reaffirmed that commitment on Sunday.
Regarding the Israel-Hamas war, he said, “Neither the region nor the world can afford any more wars.”
Guterres added that all UN member states must work towards de-escalation, calling it a “shared responsibility”.
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