- On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged member states of the UN Security Council to exercise their influence in order to prevent any further escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. In particular, he called on them to caution Iran about the potential consequences of its involvement
- Blinken drew attention to the recent increase in attacks by Iranian proxies against US interests in the region. He sent a direct message to Iran, stating, ‘The United States does not seek conflict with Iran. We do not want this war to escalate. However, if Iran or its proxies target American personnel anywhere, make no mistake — we will respond promptly and decisively to protect our people and security.’
- During his address to the UN Security Council, Blinken emphasized the critical need to prevent the conflict from spreading. He called on member states to communicate, both publicly and privately, to Iran and its proxies using all available means, warning them not to open another front against Israel or attack Israel’s partners in this conflict. He stressed that a broader conflict would have catastrophic consequences for the entire region and the world.
- Blinken also urged member states to hold Iran and its proxies accountable if they escalate the conflict and put more civilians at risk. He encouraged them to act as if the security and stability of the entire region and beyond were at stake, as he believed they were.
- Additionally, Blinken mentioned upcoming talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Washington, where they would explore measures to prevent the conflict from spreading.
- Blinken reiterated his call for nations to leverage their connections to secure the immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas, emphasizing that every member of the UN Security Council should insist on this.
- In his remarks, Blinken called on all nations to condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas and reaffirmed the United States’ belief in Israel’s right to defend itself. He stressed the importance of protecting all civilians and called on Hamas to cease using Palestinian civilians as human shields.
- Blinken suggested considering “humanitarian pauses” to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians in Gaza, without explicitly using the term “ceasefire.”
- Finally, Blinken underlined the significance of collective efforts in working toward a lasting political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, expressing the United States’ readiness to collaborate with anyone willing to build a more peaceful and secure future for the region, in line with the aspirations of its people.”
