Rosemary Di Carlo, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political Affairs, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for humanitarian reasons (Anatolia)

A senior United Nations official called on "all parties" to prevent escalation of tensions in the Middle East, during a UN Security Council meeting in which the United States faced Russian and Chinese accusations of adding fuel to the fire due to its recent retaliatory strikes in Syria and Iraq.

Rosemary Di Carlo, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political Affairs, said during a session held by the UN Security Council to consider the retaliatory strikes launched by the US military last week against sites in Iraq and Syria, “I call on the Council to continue vigorous cooperation with all parties to prevent further escalation and exacerbation of tensions.” that undermine regional peace and security.”

She added, "I reiterate the Secretary-General's call to all parties to step back from the brink and take into account the unbearable human and economic cost of a potential regional conflict."

De Carlo called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for humanitarian reasons, and urged consideration of the high human and economic costs of any potential regional conflict.

In her speech, the UN official was careful not to place blame on any party.

Many member states of the UN Security Council expressed the same concern during the emergency session held by the Security Council at the invitation of Russia.

Chinese-Russian accusations

China and Russia accused the United States of adding fuel to the fire in the strikes it launched on targets in Syria and Iraq in response to a strike that targeted an American base in Jordan on January 28, resulting in the death of 3 American soldiers.

Washington held a pro-Iranian faction responsible for this attack, while Tehran distanced itself from it.

During the UN Security Council meeting, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia said, “It is clear that the United States’ strikes specifically and deliberately aim to inflame the conflict” with the aim of “preserving its dominant position in the world.”

In turn, China's representative to the United Nations, John Zhang, said that "US measures are likely to exacerbate the vicious cycle of revenge in the Middle East," accusing Washington of violating the territorial integrity of Syria and Iraq.

The Chinese representative considered that the main reason for the escalation of tension in the Middle East is the failure to implement a ceasefire in Gaza.

This is the same position expressed by Algeria's representative to the United Nations, Ammar Benjameh.

On the other hand, Robert Wood, Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations, defended the “necessary and proportionate” measures taken by his country in exercising the “right to self-defense.”

Wood said, "The United States has no desire for further conflict in a region where we are working diligently to contain and defuse the conflict in Gaza."

He added, "We do not seek a direct conflict with Iran," calling on the UN Security Council to put pressure on Tehran to stop attacks launched by factions loyal to it.

Syria and Iraq, as well as Iran, condemned these American retaliatory strikes, which left at least 45 people dead.

Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeed Irani described the American accusations against his country as “misleading, baseless and unacceptable.”

Irani said, "Iran has never sought to expand the scope of the conflict in the region," but "if Iran is exposed to a threat, attack, or assault, it will not hesitate to exercise its inherent right to respond firmly in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations."

America's attacks

Last week, the United States launched strikes against 85 targets in 4 locations in Syria and 3 other locations in Iraq. According to Washington, these strikes targeted sites of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and armed factions loyal to Tehran.

Washington vowed to launch additional strikes in response to the attack that targeted a US military base in Jordan, near the borders with Syria and Iraq, on January 28.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies