Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities mark a dangerous new escalation in the Middle East, a UN official told the Security Council during an emergency session convened on Friday.
The Council cleared its original schedule to address the rapidly evolving crisis, also hearing from the head of the UN-backed international nuclear watchdog, who warned of the grave risks to regional stability and nuclear safety.
Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political and peacebuilding affairs, told ambassadors that the repercussions of the attacks were already reverberating.
“I reaffirm the Secretary-General’s condemnation of any military escalation in the Middle East,” she said, urging both Israel and Iran to exercise maximum restraint and “avoid at all costs a descent into deeper and wider regional conflict.”
She also noted that the military escalation came just as “some significant diplomatic developments” were unfolding, including the planned resumption of United States-Iranian talks in Oman on the weekend. Latest reports indicate that Iran will no longer attend.
DiCarlo urged parties to stay in the diplomatic course.
“A peaceful resolution through negotiations remains the best means to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” she said.
“We must at all costs avoid a growing conflagration which would have enormous global consequences.”
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council the above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Iran’s Natanz nuclear site had been destroyed, and that Iran has reported that nuclear sites at Fordow and Isfahan were also attacked.
(With input from Reuters)
(Cover: The United Nations Security Council holds an emergency meeting over Israel’s strikes on Iran in New York City, United States, June 13, 2025. /VCG)
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