The United Nations Secretary-General has denounced Iranian missile strikes on Israel following his previous ban by the country due to his initial remarks. During a session of the UN Security Council, António Guterres emphasized the urgent need to halt what he described as the “deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence” in the Middle East. His condemnation came after Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, labeled Guterres as persona non grata, claiming that he is an “anti-Israel secretary-general who lends support to terrorists.” Katz’s comments were made in reaction to Guterres’s call for a ceasefire that did not specifically mention Iran’s attack.
In his address, Guterres reiterated his strong condemnation of the recent missile assault, stating that he had already condemned a previous attack in April. He remarked, “These attacks paradoxically do not seem to support the cause of the Palestinian people, or reduce their suffering.” Guterres also critiqued Israel’s military actions in Gaza, referring to it as “the most deadly and destructive military campaign in my years as secretary-general.” On Tuesday, Iran fired approximately 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, with reports indicating that many were intercepted. Following the attack, Guterres expressed his concerns on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, denouncing the escalation of conflict in the region.
Before Guterres’s remarks at the UN, Katz stated that anyone who fails to unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack on Israel should not be allowed to enter the country, specifically calling out Guterres for his perceived anti-Israel stance since the outbreak of the war. The missile assault from Iran is part of a larger pattern of escalating tensions, which have been ongoing for nearly a year, involving Hamas attacks on Israel and heightened conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israeli forces.