The fighting has broken an interim truce established under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries in June. 

The deal sought to end hostilities that erupted in late February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and counter attacks by Tehran across the Gulf region. 

De-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy 

Mr. Guterres urged all parties “to take immediate steps for de-escalation and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy”, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York. 

“The Secretary-General reiterates that a return to full-scale hostilities would exact an intolerable toll on civilians and have catastrophic consequences for international peace and security and the global economy,” he said. 

The UN chief also reiterated his call for the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime corridor for oil and natural gas exports.  

He stressed that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms must be respected by all sides, in line with international law. 

As the UN chief’s Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, calls for swift de-escalation following reports of Saudi Arabian airstrikes and Iranian aircraft landing in the country, the Security Council’s emergency meeting at 3pm (local time) on Monday heard briefings from top officials on the latest humanitarian and political situation.

The Security Council must use every tool and diplomatic channel to reach an urgent de-escalation, Rosemary DiCarlo, chief of UN political and peacebuilding affairs, told an emergency meeting on Thursday amid escalating deadly Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Stay tuned for live updates.

Romania requested the urgent meeting after a Russian drone entered its airspace on Friday night, hitting an apartment building in the eastern city of Galaţi. Two residents – a woman and a child – were injured. 

“Last Friday, a dangerous incident crystallized our oft-stated warnings about potential spillover of the war,” said Kayoko Gotoh, a Director in the UN political and peace departments. 

She noted that although this was not the first reported breach of Romanian airspace by an armed drone since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was the first time such an incident resulted in casualties. 

‘A worrying trend’ 

It also “came on the heels of a worrying trend of drone incursions into the airspaces and territorial waters of countries bordering either Ukraine or the Russian Federation,” she added. 

In the past 12 months, incidents have been reported by Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, as well as three countries in the wider region: Bulgaria, Greece and Türkiye.  

“The Galaţi incident comes amidst a sharp escalation of large-scale missile and drone attacks by the armed forces of the Russian Federation on Ukrainian towns and cities, resulting in ever worsening toll of civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure,” she said. 

“There has also been a marked increase in Ukrainian attacks on military, energy and industrial infrastructure in the Russian Federation, which have reportedly resulted in a growing number of civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.” 

Nuclear safety fears 

Ms. Gotoh recalled that the meeting was held a week after UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the dangerous trajectory of escalation and intensification risks getting out of control, and “the course must change.” 

Furthermore, “the risk of miscalculation is particularly dangerous for the safety of nuclear facilities”—something that increased in recent days. 

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was informed on 30 May that a drone struck a turbine building at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine, causing a hole in the wall. This marked the first such attack within the plant’s perimeter in two years. 

Concluding her remarks, Ms. Gotoh emphasised that “amidst heightened tensions, it is incumbent on all concerned to act responsibly and to refrain from any action that could destabilize the situation further.”  

She underlined the UN’s support for efforts towards dialogue to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine “that contributes to a more stable regional and international environment.” 

Russia rejects accusation, calls for ‘objective’ probe 

Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said Romania “hastily convened” the meeting and “immediately put forward unfounded and biased accusations” against his country.

“We believe that the main purpose of today’s meeting is to satisfy demand by Western countries to generate yet another wave of anti-Russian media hype at any cost,” he said. 

He told the Council that Russian forces had conducted operations targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure that night in response to “terrorist attacks carried out by the Kyiv regime”. 

The strikes targeted facilities in the port of Reni and the Odessa region, through which Western countries supply military goods to Ukraine. 

He said that according to Romania, there was an impact in Galaţi allegedly involving a Russian Geran-2 drone that struck the roof of an apartment building.  These drones have a payload of roughly 50 kilogrammes of explosives. 

“If such a drone had, as claimed, indeed hit the roof of a building…the roof would have been destroyed completely,” he said. 

Mr. Nebenzya called for “a thorough, objective and depoliticised” investigation into the full circumstances. 

Romania: Escalation must not be ‘the new normal’ 

Romanian foreign minister Oana-Silvia Ţoiu stressed that “the seriousness of this moment cannot be overstated.” 

This marked the first time that her country has called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council on a matter of direct concern to its security.   

“We have a joint responsibility not just to draw a line, but to make sure that we do not move that line,” she said.

“It is imperative for the Council to address such unnecessary escalation by the Russian Federation in its war of aggression…We should not consider this current escalation as the new normal.” 

Ukraine criticises Russian ‘denial and distortion’ 

Ukraine’s representative remarked that the Russian Ambassador “continues to sing the same old song…and relying on the well-worn patterns of denial and distortion.” 

He said Ukraine has full confidence in the Romanian authorities’ conclusion “that this was indeed a Russian drone, and nothing else.” 

He added that “what happened in Romania was not a single instance and must be taken seriously.” 

“My strong appeal is for the negotiations to go on until that diplomatic solution is found, the ceasefire to be maintained, and in between, the Strait of Hormuz to be completely open…Any restart of the fighting would have terrible consequences,” António Guterres said.

Speaking in Nairobi ahead of the Africa Forward Summit, the UN chief insisted that the Middle East emergency was no “distant crisis”, as roughly 13 per cent of Africa’s imports of largely oil and fertilizers move through the key waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the wider world.

“It is absolutely essential and we have appealed to the two parties to open the Strait of Hormuz completely, without restrictions… [it] is a must from the point of view of the interests of the international community as a whole,” he told journalists in the Kenyan capital.

“That is the only way to bring energy prices and fertiliser prices back to the levels that we had before the war.”

Planting pressure

Kenya is in a less vulnerable position because most of its planting season is over, but many other African nations are still waiting to receive fertilizers and other agricultural inputs produced in the Gulf, Mr. Guterres cautioned.

Today, the price of urea – which contains concentrated nitrogen and is one of the world’s most widely used fertilizers – has risen by more than 35 per cent in a month, at the height of the planting season.

“Without fertilizers, you can imagine that we risk to have a serious food security problem next year,” he explained.

The Secretary-General’s comments came as he unveiled new UN offices and attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a new conference facility at the UN Office at Nairobi.

Security Council reform

He underscored Africa’s vast potential and noted that it continues to be held back by an international system set up by and skewed in favour of the victors of the Second World War.

This has left the continent’s nations crippled by high borrowing costs, insufficient climate financing and underrepresentation in global decision-making bodies. 

“It is not acceptable that African countries pay more than three times more than developed countries in order to obtain the loans they need for the development, Mr. Guterres insisted, in a call for reforms of the international financial architecture, greater investment opportunities for African countries and permanent African representation on the Security Council. 

On this last point, the Secretary-General noted that France and the UK were “preparing legislation” to limit the use of the veto by the five permanent members of the Security Council in cases involving genocide or other egregrious crimes.

“These questions are on the table or will be soon on the table,” he said. “We need to have all countries recognising that…a Security Council in which there are three European members, one Asian member and one North American member and no Latin America or African members [and] just one Asian doesn’t correspond at all to the world of today. And this creates a problem of legitimacy. And with legitimacy comes its effectiveness in guaranteeing peace and security in the world.”

The UN chief also addressed conflicts across the continent, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, renewed dialogue in South Sudan, progress towards peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and political solutions to insecurity and terrorism in the Sahel.

Peace in these conflicts requires that countries “many times from outside Africa, stop being the spoilers of these conflicts, providing weapons to the parties to the conflict, and making it more difficult to find peaceful solutions”, Mr. Guterres insisted.

On Sunday, violence erupted between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias in Sweida, two days after a Druze merchant was abducted on the highway to Damascus.

The casualty figures are unclear according to local reports, but the death toll is at least 30, and hundreds have been injured.  

As violent unrest continued Monday, interim government security forces were deployed to restore order, which reportedly led to clashes with local armed militia.

On the same day, Israeli forces struck tanks under the control of Syrian forces in defence of the Druze, whom it considers a loyal minority at home and in the occupied Golan area, according to news reports.

Shortly after forces of the caretaker government in Damascus arrived in Sweida on Tuesday, Syria’s defence chief announced a ceasefire.

Tensions have historically been high between minority groups in the city since Islamist rebels toppled former president Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December and a new caretaker government was installed which is gaining increasing international recognition.

Guterres expresses concern

Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, addressed the situation in Syria on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres at Tuesday’s briefing in New York.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned over the continued violence we have seen in the Druze-majority area in Sweida governorate,” Mr. Dujarric said, adding that he is particularly alarmed by reports of arbitrary violence against civilians.

Mr. Guterres condemned “all violence against civilians, especially acts that risk enflaming sectarian tensions,” and urged de-escalation, protection of civilians and a transparent investigation into those responsible for the killings and injuries.

Israel urged to end violations within Syria

“The Secretary-General is also concerned by Israel’s airstrikes on Syria’s territory and calls on Israel to refrain from violations of Syria’s independence, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity,” Mr. Dujarric stressed.  

Mr. Guterres urged support for “a credible, orderly and inclusive political transition in Syria in line with the key principles of Security Council Resolution 2254.” 

Mr. Dujarric also relayed reports from UN humanitarian partners in Sweida, noting that medical services are overstretched and that markets and essential services – including water, electricity and education – have been disrupted.

While UN aid operations have been suspended in impacted areas due to blocked roads, the UN is mobilising to respond when conditions allow. 

Investigators raise alarm

Also on Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Council mandated Syria Commission of Inquiry released a statement expressing concern over the situation in Sweida and stressing the urgent need for de-escalation and the protection of human rights.

The statement cited reports from local residents of killings, abductions, property burnings, looting and a rise in hate speech both online and in person.

In addition to highlighting concern over sectarian violence and Israeli airstrikes, the Commission emphasized the interim government’s responsibility to uphold human rights and ensure safe passage and humanitarian aid access.

The independent human rights investigators said they had begun an investigation into alleged human rights abuses related to the killings in Sweida in recent days.  

In a joint call to de-escalate, UN agencies have warned that further conflict risks triggering new displacement in a region already strained by decades of war and instability.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) noted military strikes have led people in both Iran and Israel to flee their homes in search of safety from tit-for-tat missile strikes.

“Movements have been reported from Tehran and other parts of Iran, with some choosing to cross into neighbouring countries,” the agency stated. Meanwhile, “shelling has caused people in Israel to seek shelter elsewhere in the country and in some cases abroad.”

“This region has already endured more than its share of war, loss, and displacement – we cannot allow another refugee crisis to take root,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “The time to de-escalate is right now. Once people are forced to flee, there’s no quick way back – and all too often, the consequences last for generations.”

UNHCR urged countries in the region to respect the right to seek asylum and ensure humanitarian access to those affected, while calling on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Nuclear risks rise as Iran facilities hit

The conflict escalated sharply following Israeli airstrikes on multiple Iranian nuclear-related sites in the past week, including a centrifuge manufacturing workshop in Esfahan, according to the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“This is the third such facility that has been targeted over the past week,” Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed, noting that the facility had been under IAEA surveillance as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the nuclear deal signed with Iran in 2015, which the United States pulled out of in 2017.

“We know this facility well. There was no nuclear material at this site and therefore the attack on it will have no radiological consequences,” he said. However, Mr. Grossi warned that continued strikes on nuclear infrastructure are severely undermining nuclear safety and security.

“Though they have not so far led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger this could occur.”

The IAEA has been tracking damage to sites in Esfahan, Arak, Karaj, Natanz and Tehran since the Israeli military campaign against Iran began on 13 June. T

he agency has been providing regular updates to the UN Security Council, which has yet to reach consensus on a response. On Friday, ambassadors debating the escalation heard during an emergency meeting in New York heard UN Secretary-General António Guterres warn that if fighting escalated it could “ignite a fire no one can control.”

Gaza in ruins, Palestinians face starvation

The mounting regional crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.

On Saturday, the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, painted a grim picture of life in the enclave during an address to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul.

“In Gaza, two million people are being starved,” he said bluntly. “The newly created, so-called ‘aid mechanism’ is an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people. It is a death-trap, costing more lives than it saves.”

Lazzarini described a territory devastated by nearly two years of conflict, with more than 55,000 reported dead by local authorities in the Strip – the majority of them women and children.

Survivors, he said, “are shadows of their former selves; their lives forever changed by unspeakable trauma and profound loss.”

In the occupied West Bank, displacement and destruction of public infrastructure are altering the demography of Palestinian camps, he added, in what he described as an effort to erase the prospect of a Palestinian State under the UN-backed two-State solution and strip Palestinians of refugee status.

UNRWA in the crosshairs

“UNRWA has become an objective of this war,” Mr. Lazzarini warned, citing the deaths of at least 318 of the agency’s staff in Gaza since the 7 October terror attacks on Israel by Hamas and other militants, the expulsion of international staff, and a campaign of disinformation aimed at crippling its funding.

Despite these pressures, UNRWA continues to provide lifesaving services, including over 15,000 health consultations per day, waste management and shelter support.

UNRWA’s financial situation is now “dire,” the agency chief said. “Without additional funding, I will soon have to take unprecedented decisions affecting our operations across the region.”

He appealed to Member States to act urgently: “The sudden loss or reduction of UNRWA’s services will only deepen suffering and despair across the occupied Palestinian territory. It might spark unrest in the neighbouring countries. This is something that the region cannot afford, especially now.”

Israel began targeting nuclear and military sites across Iran last Friday, prompting a barrage of retaliatory strikes on Israeli cities.

“The UN human rights office urges de-escalation and urgent diplomatic negotiations to end these attacks and find a way forward,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. “We are following closely and are aware of reports that many thousands of residents are fleeing parts of the capital, Tehran, as a result of warnings covering broad areas.”

Latest reports from the region indicate that more than 200 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel to date. The violence continued unabated overnight in both countries. 

Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva at a scheduled meeting to discuss Iran’s rights record, the Deputy High Commissioner highlighted serious concerns that populated areas have been hit in the escalation.

“It is imperative that both sides fully respect international law, in particular by ensuring the protection of civilians in densely populated areas and of civilian objects,” she said. “We urge all those with influence to engage in negotiation as a matter of priority.”

Nuclear watchdog update

In a related development, the UN-backed nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that two Iranian centrifuge production facilities had suffered major damage after being targeted.

“The TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Centre, were hit,” it said in an update. “At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested. 

At Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured,” said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Speaking at the Council after the Deputy High Commissioner, Iran’s Permanent Representative of Iran, Ambassador Ali Bahreini, condemned the Israeli strikes: 

“There has been no violation worse than [the] 13 June act of aggression against Iran,” he said, pointing to “continuous blind attacks on residential areas, bombardment of vital supplies, explosion of drinking water resources and reckless strikes on nuclear facilities are immediately impacting the civilians and people of Iran.”

Such “deliberate targeting” of his country’s nuclear facilities risked exposing local communities to a “possible hazardous leak”, the Iranian ambassador continued. “This is not an act of war against our country, it is war against humanity.”

In a short statement to the Council from which Israel announced its withdrawal earlier this year, Mr. Bahreini called for accountability and international condemnation of the Israeli attacks. 

“This impunity must come to [an] end,” he said. “Israel activities are not just against one or two countries. It is acting against all humanity and their actions target all human rights.”

India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along their disputed Himalayan border, marking a pivotal step towards resolving the ongoing military standoff that began in 2020. This breakthrough could signal the easing of tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, whose relations have been strained for decades due to territorial disputes and a history of hostilities.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the agreement after weeks of negotiations between military and diplomatic representatives from both nations. This announcement comes at a crucial time, just ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for the BRICS summit, where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit brings together leaders of major developing economies, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, providing a platform for further discussions on bilateral and global issues.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri disclosed the agreement during a press briefing on Monday, acknowledging the constructive dialogues that had taken place between Indian and Chinese diplomats and military officials over recent weeks. He stated, “Over the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese diplomats and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other, and as a result of these discussions, an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the India-China de facto border leading to disengagements and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in 2020.”

While specific details of the agreement were not provided, Misri indicated that the situation was moving in a positive direction, and further plans could be announced following the anticipated meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

Indian media outlets have reported cautiously optimistic sentiments from government sources, with the defense ministry emphasizing that the situation is still developing. A senior defense official, quoted by CNN-IBN, mentioned that “modalities are being worked upon” and that the full implementation of the agreement would depend on discussions between military commanders on the ground.

India and China share a 3,488-kilometer border stretching from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. This boundary, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been the focal point of several disputes between the two nations. China controls a significant part of Ladakh, called Aksai Chin, which it captured during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Additionally, Beijing claims the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet, adding another layer of complexity to their already fraught relationship.

Tensions reached a breaking point in June 2020, when a violent clash in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops. This marked the first fatalities along the India-China border in 45 years, dramatically escalating tensions and sparking a prolonged standoff. In the aftermath, both sides deployed thousands of troops, artillery, and fighter jets to the disputed region, significantly raising the risk of further conflict.

Kalpit A Mankikar, a senior fellow at the Indian think tank Observer Research Foundation, highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, “Troops on both sides blocked access to each other from patrolling areas as per their perception of the LAC. De-escalating along the boundary is a top priority for India.”

Since the 2020 clash, India and China have held numerous rounds of military and diplomatic talks in an effort to defuse tensions. While partial disengagement has occurred in certain areas, such as the Pangong Tso Lake and Galwan Valley, large contingents of troops remain stationed in other strategic regions, with tensions still simmering below the surface.

The recent agreement signals that India and China are willing to de-escalate the situation, but the path to a comprehensive resolution remains fraught with challenges. The Indian government has emphasized the importance of restoring the status quo along the LAC as it existed before the April 2020 flare-up. Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi underscored this point earlier this month, stating that “India seeks to restore the status that existed along the western Himalayan border before the tensions escalated in April 2020.”

Despite this agreement, analysts caution against overestimating the immediate impact of the deal. While it represents a step in the right direction, fundamental issues between the two countries remain unresolved. Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, pointed out, “China won’t stop being a strategic competitor to India, and New Delhi’s broader concerns about Chinese power and provocations won’t abate just because there’s a border accord.”

Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar echoed this sentiment of cautious optimism, describing the agreement as the product of “very patient and very persevering diplomacy.” He acknowledged that while the deal may lead to a return to pre-2020 military patrols, a full resolution of the border dispute will take time.

Speaking to NDTV, Jaishankar emphasized that normalizing the situation along the border is essential for India-China relations to progress. “Friction happens, but this is a major breakthrough,” he said. “Hopefully, we will be able to come back to peace and tranquillity. And that was our major concern because we always said that if you disturb peace and tranquillity, how do you expect the rest of the relationship to go forward?”

China’s government confirmed the agreement on Tuesday, with foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stating, “China and India recently have maintained close communication on issues related to the border through diplomatic and military channels. At present, the two sides have reached a solution to the relevant issues, which China views positively.” Lin also expressed Beijing’s willingness to work with New Delhi to ensure the implementation of the agreement.

The international community, particularly the United States, has been closely monitoring developments between India and China. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the South China Morning Post that while Washington did not have details of the agreement, it was paying close attention to the situation.

Geopolitical analysts have pointed out that the agreement could have broader implications for regional stability. India and China are both influential players in the global economy and military powers in their own right. Any significant escalation or de-escalation in their border conflict would have ripple effects across Asia and beyond.

Since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, relations between India and China have been tense not only on the military front but also in the economic and trade sectors. Following the clash, there was a surge of anti-China sentiment in India, with calls for a boycott of Chinese goods and services. The Indian government responded by raising trade barriers, increasing import duties on approximately 300 products, and banning a host of Chinese apps, including the popular social media platform TikTok, citing concerns about national security and sovereignty.

Despite these economic measures, China remains one of India’s largest trading partners. In 2021, bilateral trade between the two countries reached nearly $125 billion, with China accounting for a significant share of India’s imports. However, India has sought to diversify its supply chains and reduce its reliance on Chinese products, particularly in the wake of the pandemic and the border tensions.

Kalpit A Mankikar of the Observer Research Foundation noted that while the recent agreement may lead to improved ties in the short term, India should not rush to restore economic and technological cooperation with China. “China won’t stop being a strategic competitor to India,” he said. “New Delhi’s broader concerns about Chinese power and provocations won’t abate just because there’s a border accord.”

The agreement also comes at a time when India is increasingly aligning itself with Western powers through groups like the Quad (the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia) and engaging in defense collaborations that aim to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The current border agreement, while positive, does not necessarily indicate a shift in India’s broader strategic calculus vis-à-vis China.

The recent agreement between India and China on patrolling arrangements along their disputed Himalayan border represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions that have persisted since the violent 2020 clash in Galwan Valley. While the agreement signals a willingness to resolve some immediate issues, it is clear that many challenges remain on the path to lasting peace and stability between these two regional giants.

The outcome of future military and diplomatic engagements, including the potential meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit, will be closely watched by the international community. As both nations navigate their complex relationship, the broader geopolitical and economic implications of their actions will undoubtedly shape the future of Asia’s strategic landscape.