The value of the Iran conflict has exceeded the limit, the UN Secretary-General asks the US and Israel to end the war

JAKARTA - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday warned that the Iran war had crossed all limits, stating that the conflict was "out of control," and warned the world of the prospect of a much wider confrontation.

"More than three weeks have passed, this war is out of control," Guterres told reporters at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Anadolu (26/3) reported.

"The conflict has gone beyond the limits that even leaders imagined," he continued.

"The world faces a broader threat of war, an increasing wave of human suffering, and deeper global economic shocks," Guterres said, stressing that "the situation is too far."

Calling for a cessation of military escalation, Secretary-General Guterres said, "It is time to stop climbing the escalatory ladder and start climbing the diplomatic ladder, and to return to fully respecting international law."

Pointing to the key parties involved in the war, he said, "My message to the United States and Israel, it's time to end the war because human suffering is deepening, civilian casualties are increasing, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating."

On the other hand, Secretary-General Guterres urged Iran to end attacks on Gulf countries, arguing that they "are not parties to the conflict."

Furthermore, highlighting the economic impact of the war, Secretary-General Guterres said, "The prolonged closure of the Strait (Hormuz) is strangling the movement of oil, gas, and fertilizer at a critical time in the global growing season."

Guterres' secretary-general stressed the need for diplomacy and full respect for international law, and expressed hope that the parties involved in the Iran war would reach "an understanding to end this terrible conflict."

"Because the consequences of this conflict, which is currently completely out of control, are devastating," he added.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global trade in goods and energy, has been largely disrupted by rising tensions in the Gulf after US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran's retaliation.

The strait, which links Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq and Iran to global markets, handles about 25 percent of global oil trade, about 20 percent of liquefied natural gas trade and almost 30 percent of fertilizer trade.

Escalation has increased in the Middle East since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, which has so far killed more than 1,300 people, including then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The Mullah's country retaliated with drone strikes and missiles targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage and disrupting global markets and flights.