UN chief concerned about potential escalation of US-Iran hostilities: Spokesperson

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned about a potential escalation of hostilities between the United States and Iran, said his spokesperson.

“The secretary-general is concerned about any new measures, any additional rhetoric that we see that could lead to an escalation. And we’re continuing to see disruptions in the flow of energy, disruption in the flow of food,” Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, said in response to a question about whether Guterres had received a letter from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi regarding new US sanctions against Iran.

Dujarric said the letter had been received and distributed to the Security Council and the General Assembly as requested, Xinhua news agency reported.

This conflict, even in somewhat of a frozen kinetic phase, continues to do a lot of harm to the region and to the global economy, said the spokesperson.

The only way to reach a durable settlement is through dialogue, and the secretary-general is very much appreciative of the mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan and others who are doing their best to try to lead to a political solution, said the spokesperson.

Meanwhile, A senior Iranian security official said on Thursday that if the United States commits any “malicious” act, Iran will respond harshly by targeting its military and economic interests in the West Asia region, a response that “will be etched in history.”

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei made the remarks during a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in the Iranian capital, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Rezaei highlighted Tehran’s distrust of Washington, accusing it of repeatedly betraying diplomacy and negotiation.

He underlined that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz only after Washington takes practical actions to meet Tehran’s conditions.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday threatened Iran with “an economic D-Day,” announcing a wave of new sanctions against the country.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that the United States will not achieve anything through its economic pressure on Iran.

IANS