UN warns renewed Gulf confrontations could derail Iran–U.S. diplomacy, urges restraint

In a briefing to reporters, the United Nations spokesperson warned that renewed military confrontations in the Gulf threaten diplomatic progress between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States and urged all parties to exercise "maximum restraint." The spokesperson said a return to full-scale hostilities "would have catastrophic consequences for the people of the region and for international peace and security and for the global community the global economy as a whole."

The statement highlighted risks to ongoing diplomacy and called on Iran and the United States to "urgently resume negotiations and address outstanding issues through diplomacy." The spokesperson said the secretary-general "calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid any further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to deescalate."

During the question-and-answer period, a Xinhua reporter asked whether the "great fracture"—the prospect of divergent global governance led separately by the U.S. and China—had evolved after recent international meetings on technology governance. The spokesperson welcomed "all member states participating in global governance" and said China’s active participation on technological matters, given its role in computing power and AI, is "critical."

The briefing did not announce any new UN mediation measures or Security Council actions. The spokesperson said the secretary-general has maintained direct contacts with Iranian officials, including a recent call with Iran’s foreign minister, and that contacts continue "at various levels."