UN chief warns of ‘rabbit hole of retaliation’ after US strikes on Iran

UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Sunday that the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities marked a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region.

“The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling from the outset of the crisis,” Guterres said. “I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East. The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet we now risk descending into a rabbit hole of retaliation after retaliation. To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses delegates during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, following US attack on Iran's nuclear sites, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, June 22, 2025.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses delegates during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, following US attack on Iran's nuclear sites, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, June 22, 2025.