UN urges halt to retaliatory strikes in Gulf region

Hamilton, Canada (ANTARA) - The United Nations on Thursday (9/7) urged an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Gulf region, following Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

Asked about Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s reaction to the escalation, Stephane Dujarric said at a press conference, “These tit-for-tat actions must stop.”

“A return to diplomacy is very much needed for the sake of stability in this region and for global stability,” he said, adding that “all parties involved need to understand that the best way to end this conflict is by returning to the negotiating table.”

The statement came a day after the UN issued a statement on behalf of Guterres urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation.

Regarding the UN’s role going forward, Dujarric said, “The Secretary-General has always said that he is ready to help in any way we can.”

He noted that Guterres’s Personal Envoy for the crisis, Jean Arnault, “continues to be in contact with the parties concerned,” whilst the International Maritime Organization (IMO) “is playing an important role on maritime issues in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iran launched attacks on US military infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan on Thursday in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian targets over two consecutive days.

The attacks took place amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.