UN Secretary-General Calls for De-Escalation

United Nations - July 13, 2026: UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for de-escalation and an urgent resumption of negotiations between the United States and Iran, as renewed strikes across the Gulf pushed the fragile ceasefire negotiated last month to the brink of collapse. "The Secretary-General urges Iran and the United States to urgently resume negotiations and to address outstanding issues through diplomacy," UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement.

Guterres said he was "deeply concerned by the serious escalation," calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to de-escalate. He reiterated that a return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences "for the peoples of the region" and beyond, as well as for the global economy.

A Ceasefire Unraveling in Real Time

The Secretary-General's latest appeal follows a similar warning issued earlier in the week, when his office said renewed military confrontations risked "derailing the diplomatic progress achieved between Iran and the United States." That statement, issued after CENTCOM struck Iran following an attack on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, called on all parties to fully comply with international law, including the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and respect for navigational rights and freedoms.

The uptick in fighting comes after the informal calm that followed a memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran on June 17. As recently as July 2, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding and Peace Support Elizabeth Spehar told the Security Council that a weekend of renewed confrontations had at least ended with both sides agreeing to de-escalate — a decision Guterres welcomed at the time as offering "a measure of hope that dialogue and diplomacy can regain momentum," while cautioning the episode served as "a stark reminder of the fragility of the current situation."

A Maritime Crisis Unfolding in Parallel

Alongside the diplomatic push, the UN has raised alarm over the toll renewed hostilities are taking on global shipping. Guterres reiterated the importance of restoring full freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, given its critical role in global trade and energy flows. Renewed attacks on shipping in the strait have once again halted transit through the waterway, leaving roughly 6,000 seafarers stranded aboard scores of vessels that once transited the strait at a rate of around 130 ships per day.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez separately condemned what he called "reckless attacks" on several ships transiting the strait, warning that "no seafarer should have to risk their life simply for doing their job," and calling on flag states, shipowners, and operators to avoid exposing crews to unnecessary danger. The head of the IMO has urged that all transit through the strait be avoided until necessary safety conditions are restored.

Economic Fallout

The UN's Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said the already challenging situation for countries reliant on Gulf energy supplies is set to continue, following more than 100 days of disruption tied to the broader conflict. Energy prices have risen alongside the renewed fighting, compounding pressure on global markets already strained by months of intermittent hostilities in the region.

The UN's Broader Position

Throughout the conflict, which began in earnest after coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, Guterres has consistently maintained that there is "no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes," urging all parties to return to the negotiating table, particularly on the issue of Iran's nuclear programme. The Secretary-General has repeatedly stated that the United Nations remains committed to supporting all efforts to prevent a return to conflict, restore stability, and advance a comprehensive and durable resolution.

What to Watch

With the mid-June memorandum of understanding now under significant strain, attention turns to whether renewed US-Iran contacts — reportedly ongoing on parallel tracks even amid the fighting — can produce a durable de-escalation, whether shipping through Hormuz can resume safely, and whether the Security Council takes further action as the crisis continues to unfold.