NEW YORK – The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session on Sunday following a dramatic escalation in Middle East tensions after the United States launched overnight airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
The strikes—reportedly aimed at halting what Washington claims is Iran’s accelerated push toward nuclear weapon capability—drew sharp condemnation from several Security Council members and triggered renewed fears of a broader regional war.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, addressing the Council, warned that the U.S. military action risks “a wider war with devastating consequences” and poses a “serious blow to the international order.”
“This type of military escalation can only inflame tensions further and derail diplomatic pathways toward resolving the Iranian nuclear issue,” Guterres told the 15-member Council.
The targeted sites, believed to house sensitive enrichment infrastructure, were struck just after midnight in a coordinated U.S. operation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not been able to assess the damage, raising concerns about nuclear material security and the potential for radiation exposure.
Speaking via video link, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that inspectors have lost access to the three affected locations and called for an immediate ceasefire to allow verification of Iran’s nuclear inventory—particularly the whereabouts of 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
“The global non-proliferation regime is facing one of its most severe threats in decades,” Grossi said. “We must not let military action compromise years of diplomatic effort and monitoring.”
Iran, in a swift response, accused Washington of “naked aggression” and vowed retaliation, including targeting U.S. military assets in the region.
Some armed non-state actors aligned with Tehran have also reportedly begun mobilizing in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča warned the Council that “the potential for regional spillover is extremely high,” urging all parties to “step back from the brink.”
China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, issued one of the most forceful condemnations of the U.S. action, calling it “a flagrant violation of international law and Iran’s sovereignty.”
“The strike undermines regional stability and deals a heavy blow to the international nuclear non-proliferation framework,” Fu said, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomatic negotiations.
Despite calls for calm, the Council remains divided, with Western powers defending the U.S. move as a “last resort” to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear-armed state, while other members decried the lack of a Security Council mandate for the use of force.
