United Nations, June 23 -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday warned of "a rathole of retaliation" in the wake of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling, Guterres told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
"From the outset of the (Israeli-Iranian) crisis, I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East. The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation," he warned.
To avoid further escalation, diplomacy must prevail, civilians must be protected, and safe maritime navigation must be guaran...