New York, July 12 (Petra) -- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday strongly urged Iran and the United States to urgently resume negotiations and resolve outstanding issues through diplomatic channels.

According to a UN statement, Guterres expressed grave concern over the dangerous escalation and renewed military confrontations in the Gulf region. This includes Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, US strikes on Iran, and Iranian attacks on targets in neighboring countries.

The UN Chief emphasized that "all these attacks must stop," calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory measures, and take immediate steps to defuse tensions.

Guterres warned that a return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences for the peoples of the region, international peace and security, and the global economy. He stressed the urgent necessity of fully restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

//Petra// AF