Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian warned during a phone call with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of an impending explosion that would be uncontrollable in the region due to the situation in the Gaza Strip. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated, "Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian discussed in a phone call with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres the latest developments in Palestine."
Abdollahian praised Guterres for "activating Article 99 of the UN Charter regarding the developments in Palestine and the genocide in Gaza," stating that "the use of Article 99 of the UN Charter is a courageous act by the Secretary-General to maintain international peace and security."
He also pointed to the "difficult and tragic humanitarian situation in southern Gaza, and the displacement of women and children amid the current winter cold," urging for an expedited response to deter Israeli crimes and support Palestinians, including the immediate reopening of the Rafah crossing, sending humanitarian aid, and halting forced migration.
He added, "As long as America supports the crimes of the 'Zionist entity' and the continuation of the war, the scope of the war will not be limited to the current situation; rather, it will expand and there is also a possibility of an uncontrollable explosion in the situation in the region."
Abdollahian noted that "the Israeli claim that Hamas violated the ceasefire is completely unfounded, and despite efforts to continue the ceasefire, Washington's support for the continuation of military attacks by the Israeli entity has made it difficult to reach a sustainable ceasefire."
For his part, Guterres stated that "the humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic, and Article 99 of the UN Charter has not been activated since 1989, but due to the complex situation in Gaza and Palestine, this article was activated, and there is a need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This need has become more pressing than ever, and a humanitarian ceasefire must be established to prevent the spread of tensions in the region."
The UN Secretary-General emphasized "the necessity of continuing efforts to restore Palestinian rights and establish a Palestinian state based on previous UN resolutions."
The UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after the United States vetoed the proposal.
