UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the escalating Gulf war involving the United States and Israel against Iran is “out of control”.

Mr Guterres also urged all sides to step back from the brink and allow diplomacy to prevail, as he announced the appointment of a senior envoy to spearhead peace efforts.

Speaking in New York on Wednesday, the UN chief said the conflict had spiralled far beyond what leaders had anticipated.

“The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock,” he said.

He added bluntly: “This has gone too far.”

In spite of mounting tensions and continued military escalation, Mr Guterres insisted there remains a path forward.

“Diplomacy must prevail,” he said. “War is not the answer. We need a way out of this disaster.”

“Diplomacy is the way out. Full respect for international law is the way out. Peace is the way out.”

He confirmed he has appointed veteran diplomat Jean Arnault as his Personal Envoy to lead UN efforts to end the conflict.

Mr Guterres regretted that the war has upended the entire region, with shockwaves spreading worldwide.

He noted, especially, the impact on energy markets reliant on the crucial Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.

He said the envoy will work “more directly on the ground” “to support all the efforts for mediation, all the efforts for peace”.

According to him, he will engage with all parties and assess the conflict’s far-reaching impacts.

Mr Guterres urged the United States and Israel that “it is high time to end the war”, while calling on Iran “to stop attacking their neighbours that are not parties to the conflict”.

He also stressed that freedom of navigation, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, must be respected.

He warned that the prolonged disruption of the Strait is choking vital supplies of oil, gas and fertiliser.

The secretary-general also cautioned against the broader global fallout, noting that markets are “in turmoil” and humanitarian operations are constrained.

He said the economic shock is hitting the most vulnerable hardest, particularly in developing countries already struggling with debt and rising costs.

He pointed to the disruption of fertiliser supplies as a looming threat to global food security.

“Without fertilisers today, we might have hunger tomorrow,” he warned, adding that soaring energy prices risk fuelling inflation and deepening poverty worldwide. 

(NAN)