Israel declares UN chief Guterres 'persona non grata' over Iran attack response

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday accused Mr. Guterres of failing to “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel.  Israel has persistently complained over the UN’s approach throughout its yearlong war in Gaza.

“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil,” Katz wrote on X, according to Al Jazeera.

Warming to his theme, Israel’s foreign minister reportedly accused the UN chief of giving his “backing to terrorists, rapists, and murderers” and branded him “a stain on the history of the UN”.

Shortly after the attack, UN chief condemned the escalation of violence in the region but made no mention of Iran.

Mr. Guterres wrote on Tuesday evening: “I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation. This must stop.  We absolutely need a ceasefire.”

Meanwhile, the BBC says the United Nations Secretary-General has condemned Iranian strikes on Israel, after earlier being banned from the country for his initial response.

Speaking to the UN Security Council, António Guterres said it was high time to stop what he called the "deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence" in the Middle East.

Addressing the council, the UN secretary general said he had condemned the attack in April, and "as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of the condemnation I expressed, I again strongly condemn yesterday's massive missile attack by Iran on Israel".

"These attacks paradoxically do not seem to support the cause of the Palestinian people, or reduce their suffering," he said.

He also criticized Israel's actions in the region, calling the military campaign in Gaza “the most deadly and destructive military campaign in my years as secretary general”.