Guterres warns Middle East on brink of 'unimaginable' situation

BAGHDAD, Iraq — UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday that the Middle East is on the brink of an "unimaginable" situation, urging members to confront a crisis he said is spiraling beyond control. He said one crisis is feeding the next and that escalation is producing further escalation across the region. Guterres pointed to ongoing direct and indirect confrontations between the United States and Iran, which he said have spilled over into reciprocal attacks targeting international shipping lanes and oil facilities in the Gulf. He warned that those attacks threaten global energy supplies while a Western military buildup in the area continues. International observers have said the developments carry an increasing risk of tipping into a broader regional war. No further details on council action were immediately available.