United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the United States’ airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, calling it a “dangerous escalation” amid eight days of deadly exchanges between Iran and Israel.
“I am gravely alarmed by the United States’ use of force against Iran today,” Guterres told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, reiterating that “there is no military solution” to the conflict.
“This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge—and a direct threat to international peace and security,” he warned.
During a televised address from the White House at 10 p.m. local time, President Donald Trump announced that Iran’s nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan had been “completely obliterated,” calling the bombing campaign a “spectacular military success.”
President Trump urged Iranian leaders to “make peace” and return to negotiations over their nuclear program, warning that failure to do so would result in “an even greater wave of attacks.”
Iranian officials have not yet confirmed the extent of the damage to the three central sites. Earlier in the day, Iran’s foreign minister had issued a warning to the U.S. against intervening in the Iran-Israel conflict, which erupted on June 13.
Since the start of the hostilities, at least 430 Iranians have been killed and around 3,500 injured, according to Iran’s health ministry. In Israel, local authorities have reported 24 civilian deaths and more than 400 rockets fired toward the country.
President Trump confirmed that U.S. B-2 stealth bombers carried out the mission, using “bunker-buster” bombs to strike the deeply buried uranium enrichment site at Fordo, located in a mountain south of Tehran.
Guterres reiterated warnings he had delivered to the Security Council during an emergency session the previous day: “This conflict risks spiraling out of control—with catastrophic consequences for civilians, for the region, and for the world.”
He urged all UN member states to de-escalate the crisis and uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and international law.
“At this critical hour, it is essential to avoid a spiral of chaos,” he said, calling for an immediate return to diplomatic negotiations. “There is no military solution. The only way forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk echoed the Secretary-General’s statement, posting on social media that it is now “crucial for all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent devastating human consequences across the region.”
Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Sunday that no harmful radiation had been detected beyond the three sites hit, according to Iranian nuclear authorities.
Grossi did note, however, that “radioactive and chemical contamination” may have occurred within the targeted facilities. He announced that the IAEA’s Board of Governors will convene in an emergency session on Monday to assess the situation.
“At this time, we do not expect any health or environmental impact beyond the affected sites,” Grossi said.
