UN calls for immediate de-escalation in Middle East

New York, July 15 (Petra) — The United Nations expressed deep
concern on Wednesday over the continuing military escalation in the
Middle East, calling on all parties to take immediate steps to
de-escalate tensions and return to dialogue and diplomacy.

U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told a daily press briefing that
Secretary-General António Guterres had reiterated that a return to
large-scale hostilities would inflict intolerable civilian suffering
and have catastrophic consequences for international peace and
security as well as the global economy.

Dujarric added that the Secretary-General also renewed his call for
the full restoration of international navigation rights and freedoms
in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, stressing that all
parties must respect the exercise of navigation rights and freedoms
in accordance with international law.

//Petra// AF