The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East is pushing the region dangerously close to collapse, with consequences already spreading across the world. He said the growing hostilities now pose a serious threat to international peace, global trade and humanitarian stability.
Speaking in Türkiye while receiving the Atatürk International Award for Peace, Guterres called for an immediate halt to the fighting and urged world powers to return to diplomacy. He stressed that despite widespread talk of peace globally, meaningful action toward achieving it remains limited.
The UN chief warned that global tensions are worsening as international norms continue to be ignored. According to him, international law is increasingly being violated, power politics are gaining ground, and rising inequalities are deepening global instability, while emerging technologies like artificial intelligence could further intensify conflicts.
Guterres also pointed to the massive military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the retaliatory attacks that followed, saying the escalation has significantly worsened the crisis and caused immense suffering for civilians across the region.
He warned that the conflict is already disrupting global markets, affecting trade routes and driving up energy and food prices worldwide, with vulnerable populations suffering the most. Guterres therefore called for urgent de-escalation, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to restoring peace.
