UNchiefcallsforrestraintafterIran'sretaliatoryattacksonIsrael_GuangmingOnlineUNSecretary-GeneralAntonioGuterres(C,front)speaksduringanemergencymeetingofUNSecurityCouncilheldattheUNheadquartersinNewYork,April14,2024.UNSecretary-GeneralAntonioGuterresonSundaycalledformaximumrestraintafterIran'sretaliatoryattacksonIsraeloverthelatter'sdeadlyassaultontheIranianconsulateinSyria.(Xinhua/XieE)UNITEDNATIONS,April14(Xinhua)--UNSecretary-GeneralAntonioGuterresonSundaycalledformaximumrestraintafterIran'sretaliatoryattacksonIsraeloverthelatter'sdeadlyassaultontheIranianconsulateinSyria."TheMiddleEastisonthebrink.Thepeopleoftheregionareconfrontingarealdangerofadevastatingfull-scaleconflict.Nowisthetimetodefuseandde-escalate.Nowisthetimeformaximumrestraint,"hetoldanemergencymeetingoftheSecurityCouncil.Accordingtothelatestreports,IranonSaturdaylaunchedhundredsofdronesandmissilesfromitsterritorytowardIsrael,withmostintercepted.SeveralmissilesreportedlystruckwithinIsraeliterritory,oneofwhichdamagedanIsraelimilitaryfacilityinthesouthofthecountry.Overall,afewcivilianswereinjured,saidGuterres.Iran'spermanentrepresentativetotheUnitedNations,AmirSaeidIravani,inalettertothepresidentoftheSecurityCouncil,statedthatIran'sactionwastaken"inresponsetotheIsraelirecurringmilitaryaggressions,particularlyitsarmedattackonApril1,2024,againstIraniandiplomaticpremises(inDamascus)."GuterresremindedallmemberstatesthattheUNCharterprohibitstheuseofforceagainsttheterritorialintegrityorpoliticalindependenceofanystateandthattheprincipleofinviolabilityofdiplomaticandconsularpremisesandpersonnelmustberespectedinallcasesinaccordancewithinternationallaw."It'stimetostepbackfromthebrink.ItisvitaltoavoidanyactionthatcouldleadtomajormilitaryconfrontationsonmultiplefrontsintheMiddleEast,"saidGuterres."Civiliansarealreadybearingthebruntandpayingthehighestprice."Theinternationalcommunityhasasharedresponsibilitytoactivelyengageallpartiesconcernedtopreventfurtherescalation,tosecureanimmediatehumanitariancease-fireinGaza,theimmediateandunconditionalreleaseofallhostages,andtheunimpededdeliveryofhumanitarianaid,hesaid.TheinternationalcommunityalsohasasharedresponsibilitytostopviolenceintheoccupiedWestBank,de-escalatethesituationalongtheLebanon-Israelborder,andre-establishsafenavigationintheRedSea,hesaid."Wehaveasharedresponsibilitytoworkforpeace.Regional,andindeedglobal,peaceandsecurityarebeingunderminedbythehour.Neithertheregionnortheworldcanaffordmorewar,"hesaid.■AnemergencymeetingofUNSecurityCouncilisheldattheUNheadquartersinNewYork,April14,2024.UNSecretary-GeneralAntonioGuterresonSundaycalledformaximumrestraintafterIran'sretaliatoryattacksonIsraeloverthelatter'sdeadlyassaultontheIranianconsulateinSyria.(Xinhua/XieE)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.