New Delhi, June 23 -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday (June 22) issued a dire warning at an emergency Security Council meeting, saying the United States' bombing of Iranian nuclear sites marks a dangerous escalation in an already unstable region.

"I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East," Guterres said.

"The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation."

Calling the strikes a "perilous turn," Guterres lamented that his earlier plea for de-escalation had gone unheeded: "Two days ago, in this very chamber, I made a direct appeal: give peace a chance. That call was not heeded."

Rafael Gro...