Ahmet Salih Alacaci
17 July 2026•Update: 17 July 2026
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains "deeply concerned" by the escalating military confrontation between the United States and Iran, particularly attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran and elsewhere in the region, his deputy spokesperson said Friday.
"The secretary-general remains deeply concerned by the continuing military escalation between Iran and the United States of America. He's particularly concerned about attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region," deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters, calling such attacks "unacceptable."
Haq's remarks came after US forces struck five bridges and multiple locations across southern and southeastern Iran early Friday in a sixth consecutive night of attacks.
Iranian media reported that at least eight people were killed and several others injured in strikes on Bandar Abbas, Bandar Khamir, Qeshm Island, Sirik and Iranshahr.
According to the reports, one US strike hit Iranshahr Airport, injuring one person and damaging electrical facilities and a fuel tank, while a maritime control tower at Shahid Kalantari Port in the southeastern city of Chabahar collapsed after a third strike on the facility.
Haq reiterated Guterres' "firm conviction" that there is no military solution to the dispute between Washington and Tehran.
He said the UN chief also called for intensified diplomatic efforts toward "a peaceful and durable" settlement, adding that any agreement should include "the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz."
Regional tensions have escalated since February, when the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran and Tehran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
Iran and the United States signed a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding last month aimed at ending the conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement, but tensions have escalated again in recent days over the Strait of Hormuz.
