‘Dangerous escalation’: UN chief warns against US strikes on Iran

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced concern Saturday at strikes carried out by the United States on Iran nuclear sites, calling them a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge."

"At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos," Guterres said in a statement. "There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”

The strikes reportedly involved B-2 stealth bombers—aircraft uniquely capable of deploying the massive GBU-57 A/B “bunker buster” bombs, which are designed to penetrate deeply buried and heavily fortified targets. The U.S. remains the only country with aircraft capable of delivering such weapons.

Trump’s decision follows months of attempted diplomacy, including high-level backchannel talks with Tehran aimed at curbing its nuclear programme. After repeatedly delaying Israeli military action in April and May, the President appears to have determined that negotiations had failed.

This marks a significant moment in the ongoing crisis, which began escalating after the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel. The conflict has since drawn in multiple regional actors, including Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.