NEW YORK – The United Nations voiced concern about increasingly bellicoserhetoric between the United States and Iran and called on them to dial downtheir remarks.
The appeal came after President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that anyattack from Iran would be met with a devastating US response that wouldmean “the official end of Iran.”
“We are concerned about the rising rhetoric,” said UN spokesman StephaneDujarric, who cited the firing of a rocket on Sunday, which struck aBaghdad area that houses foreign embassies including that of the US, asbeing “also a concern.”
“We would ask all parties to lower the rhetoric and lower the threshold ofaction as well,” said the spokesman.
UN officials are holding contacts with the US and Iran at various levels totry to calm the situation, said Dujarric, but he did not provide details ofthose talks.
Relations between Washington and Tehran plummeted a year ago when Trumppulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and imposed toughsanctions.
Tensions have risen this month after Washington announced more economicmeasures against Tehran, then deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers tothe Gulf over alleged Iranian “threats.”
The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staffout of Iraq, citing the danger posed by Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Trump s tweet onMonday, describing it as “genocidal taunts” and adding: “Never threaten anIranian. Try respect — it works!”
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Iranian Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi appealed to UN Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterres and the UN Security Council to take steps to prevent thecrisis from spiralling out of control.
“Inaction – a lose-lose approach – is not an option and can lead to adisaster that must be avoided,” wrote the ambassador in a letter sent onFriday.
The Security Council has not discussed the rising tensions even though itspurpose is to address threats to international peace and security.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russia may decide “at a certainpoint” to raise US-Iran tensions at the council “because the situation isvery worrisome.”
“The language is bellicose, especially on this side of the Atlantic Ocean,”Nebenzia told reporters.
The Russian ambassador renewed a call for the creation of a “securityarchitecture” for the Gulf region to allow for talks on regional issues.-APP/AFP
