New york: UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has expressed deep concern over the dangerous military escalation in the Gulf region, warning of catastrophic consequences for the people of the region, international security, and the global economy.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Guterres stated in a press release that the resumption of confrontations, including Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and US strikes on Iran, along with Iranian attacks on targets in neighboring countries, represents a worrying development that must be halted immediately.

The UN Secretary-General urged all parties involved to cease their attacks and emphasized the importance of Iran and the United States urgently resuming negotiations. He called for resolving outstanding issues through diplomatic means to prevent further escalation in the region.

On Sunday, the Gulf region witnessed a new military escalation as Iran renewed its attacks on Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait. In response, the four countries announced the activation of their defense systems to counter hostile missiles and drones, amid heightened security measures and warnings issued to residents.