New York, 23 June 2025 (dpa/MIA) - UN Secretary General António Guterres has called for restraint and diplomacy following the US attack on nuclear facilities in Iran.

"The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction," he said at a special meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Sunday.

"And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation."

Guterres called for a shift to diplomacy. "Civilians must be protected. Safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed," he stressed.

"I urge this council – and all member states – to act with reason, restraint, and urgency. We cannot – and must not – give up on peace," the UN chief said.

The United States launched attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities overnight in support of Israel, sparking threats of severe retaliation from Tehran and international concern over an escalation in the war between Iran and Israel.

Photo: EPA