Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities mark a dangerous new escalation in the Middle East, a UN official told the Security Council during an emergency meeting.
The Council endorsed an initial plan to deal with the fast-moving crisis and also heard the head of the UN-backed international nuclear watchdog warn of serious risks to regional stability and nuclear security.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, told ambassadors that the effects of the attacks have already been felt.
"I reaffirm the Secretary-General's condemnation of any military escalation in the Middle East," said and called on both Israel and Iran to exercise maximum restraint and "avoid at all costs a descent into a deeper and wider regional conflict".
In addition, she noted that the military escalation came just as the "certain significant diplomatic developments"including the planned resumption of US-Iran talks in Oman over the weekend. Recent reports suggest that Iran will no longer participate.
DiCarlo urged the parties to remain on a diplomatic plane.
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