UNITED NATIONS, Jan 03 (APP):United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "deeply concerned" over the tensions resulting from the killing of top Iranian commander Qsem Soleimani in a US strike, and calls on leaders to exercise "maximum restraint", a UN spokesman said Friday. "The Secretary-General has consistently advocated for de-escalation in the Gulf," Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement,"This is a moment in which leaders must exercise maximum restraint," …
UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ over Iranian general’s killing, calls for ‘maximum restraint’
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 03 (APP):United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply concerned” over the tensions resulting from the killing of top Iranian commander Qsem Soleimani in a US strike, and calls on leaders to exercise “maximum restraint”, a UN spokesman said Friday.
“The Secretary-General has consistently advocated for de-escalation in the Gulf,” Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement,”This is a moment in which leaders must exercise maximum restraint,” the statement said.
“The world cannot afford another war in the (Persian) Gulf,” it added.
Maj. Gen. Soleimani was killed on Friday in a US strike on Baghdad’s international airport, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.
The Pentagon said US President Donald Trump ordered Soleimani’s “killing”, after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Baghdad.
Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to exact “severe revenge” for the general’s death.
“Martyrdom was the reward for his ceaseless efforts in all these years,” Khamenei said on his Twitter account in reference to Soleimani, also declaring three days of mourning.
