US-Iran war updates: Iran rejects US peace plan as UN chief calls to end Israel war and fuel prices surge

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has delivered a blunt warning over the escalating Middle East conflict, saying the violence has reached levels “even leaders thought unimaginable”.

In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, Mr Guterres urged the United States and Israel, whose joint strikes last month triggered the war against Iran, to bring the fighting to an end, warning that “human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating”.

Mr Guterres added, “My message to Iran is to stop attacking their neighbours”.

The UN chief also announced he had appointed a personal envoy to help coordinate the organisation’s response to the conflict and support ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a resolution.

Iran has rejected a US-backed proposal to pause the war in the Middle East, instead issuing its own counteroffer as fighting intensifies across the region.

According to officials familiar with the discussions, the American plan included potential sanctions relief, limits on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Iranian state media indicated Tehran would only consider ending the conflict on its own terms, saying the country would continue delivering “heavy blows” across the Middle East while seeking guarantees against future attacks, reparations linked to the war and continued control over the Strait of Hormuz — demands likely to face resistance from the US as global energy markets remain under pressure.