As tensions between Israel, the United States and Iran threaten to spiral into a broader regional war, attention has turned to what the world body has done so far to address the crisis.
Thus far, the U.N.’s actions have largely centered on convening diplomacy and calling for de-escalation.
It convened an emergency meeting
The United Nations Security Council, the U.N.’s most powerful body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, held an emergency meeting after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks across the region.
The session, requested by Bahrain, France, Russia, China and Colombia, quickly exposed sharp divisions among major powers over the legality and justification of the strikes.
The United States and Israel defended the military action as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
At the meeting, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Everything must be done to prevent a further escalation in the Middle East. I call on all sides to strictly uphold their obligations under international law, including the United Nations Charter, protect civilians and ensure nuclear safety.”
U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz told the council that stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was a matter of global security, adding that Washington’s actions were lawful.
Israel’s envoy, Danny Danon, similarly described the strikes as a preemptive move to neutralize what he called an existential threat.
Iran, however, strongly condemned the attacks.
Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the council that the airstrikes had killed and injured hundreds of civilians, calling them war crimes and urging the council to take action.
The meeting also saw other global powers weigh in. Russia demanded that the United States and Israel immediately halt their operations, while China expressed concern over the sudden escalation and called for renewed diplomatic negotiations.
It condemned the attacks
When hostilities broke out on February 28, Guterres was quick to condemn the escalation, warning that the exchange of attacks risks igniting a broader conflict in an already volatile region.
He said the use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the region, undermines international peace and security.
“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said. “Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.”
He stressed that all countries must adhere to international law and the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
For now, the United Nations’ role remains focused on diplomacy and calls for restraint — even as the conflict threatens to move beyond words.
