Guterres Urges Iran, Israel to Fully Respect Fragile Ceasefire

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses Member States at the General Assembly (file). UN Photo/Manuel Elías

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, declared overnight on social media by US President Donald Trump. However, before both sides officially confirmed the truce early Tuesday, exchanges of fire continued, with heavy bombardment reported by residents in Tehran.

President Trump, departing Washington for a NATO summit in Europe, expressed frustration over repeated violations of the fragile ceasefire and called on both Iran and Israel to uphold the truce. Echoing this call on social media, Guterres urged full respect for the ceasefire, stating, “The fighting must stop. The people of the two countries have already suffered too much.” He added that he sincerely hopes the ceasefire can serve as a model for resolving other conflicts in the region.

Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), emphasized the urgent need for Iran to resume cooperation with the global nuclear watchdog. He highlighted that renewed collaboration with the IAEA is critical to achieving a successful resolution to the longstanding tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. Grossi revealed he had offered to meet Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss a diplomatic path forward.

Concerns have also been raised over a recent Israeli strike on Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, known for housing political prisoners and dissidents. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) stressed that the prison is not a legitimate military target, and any attack on it would violate international humanitarian law. Though details remain unclear, reports indicated fires and injuries inside the prison. Iranian authorities said all inmates were transferred to other facilities after the strike.

Casualty reports from Iran indicate that since 13 June, 610 people have died—including 49 women, 13 children, and two pregnant women—with nearly 4,746 injured. The conflict has also damaged seven hospitals, four health units, six emergency bases, and nine ambulances. On the Israeli side, Iranian missile strikes have reportedly killed 28 civilians.

OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan called for protection of all detainees at Evin prison, whether held arbitrarily or for alleged crimes. He condemned reports of arrests of Iranians for online expression related to the conflict, as well as executions since the outbreak of hostilities. He urged Iranian authorities to respect freedom of expression, provide fair trials, and immediately release anyone detained arbitrarily.

The conflict, which erupted with Israeli airstrikes on 13 June and escalated after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, has seen hundreds of civilian casualties on both sides. The fragile ceasefire appears tenuous, with reports of renewed Iranian missile strikes disputed by Tehran.

The UN’s human rights bodies continue to express deep concern about Iran’s use of broad national security laws, many punishable by death, particularly amid reports of torture, repression of minorities, and targeting of journalists and defenders.

As the situation remains volatile, the international community closely watches whether the ceasefire will hold and how diplomatic efforts will proceed to restore peace in the region.