UN Chief Appoints Envoy to Mediate Iran War as Conflict Escalates

Guterres said he was hopeful that despite the differing positions of the sides in the conflict, "there will be a way in which they can come to an understanding to end this horrible conflict".

The picture of diplomacy to end the conflict, now in its fourth week, is murky.

US President Donald Trump has asserted that negotiations were on with Iran and were making headway, but Tehran has denied any talks were taking place, and its military said the US was "negotiating with itself".

Washington is reported to have sent through third parties a 15-point plan to end the conflict, and Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are to join the negotiations along with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump has not identified the Iranian "man who is most respected" with whom the US was talking.

While these efforts were afoot, Israel continued attacks on Iran on Wednesday, and Tehran hit back and also hit targets in the Gulf countries.

Trump, meanwhile, was sending paratroopers to join US forces in the region.

Guterres warned, "The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock".

But with a hint of optimism, he said: "We have mediators that have offered their services. They are very engaged".

His Personal Envoy Jean Arnault "will directly (work) on the ground, as I try to do from New York, (and) he'll be doing everything possible to support all the efforts for mediation, all the efforts for peace, to be in contact with all the parties," the UN chief said speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

"I've been in close contact with all those that I believe can help to try to put an end to this horrible conflict," he said.

"This conflict is having a dramatic impact in the region, with the suffering of civilians in the region and around the world, with an impact on the global economy that is causing tremendous trouble for the less developed countries," Guterres said.

It would be a setback for the UN's development goals, he said.

In his message to the US and Israel, he said, "It is high time to end the war - as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating."

And he asked Iran to "stop attacking their neighbours that are not parties to the conflict", noting that the Security Council had condemned its assaults on the Gulf nations and others not directly involved.

"It is time to stop climbing the escalation ladder - and start climbing the diplomatic ladder (and) return to full respect of international law," he said.

With over 40 years of work in diplomacy, Arnault was Guterres' personal envoy on Afghanistan and regional issues, giving him an understanding of the Iran problem.

Arnault, who is from France, has also represented Guterres in Colombian and Bolivian diplomacy.

- IANS