UN chief warns Gulf conflict driving global instability

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that the Gulf conflict has evolved from a regional crisis into a source of global instability, citing six months of military escalation that has collapsed trade through the Strait of Hormuz and upended energy markets worldwide.

Economic fallout spreads

Guterres stated that trade through the strategic waterway has collapsed while energy markets face severe disruption and prices for food and key fertilizers have surged. "Around the world, we see families struggling to put food on the table, farmers unable to afford basic inputs, and vulnerable countries pushed closer to the edge," he said, warning that millions risk falling back into poverty as supply chains buckle under sustained pressure.

Call to restore navigation

The UN chief demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities and the full restoration of international navigational rights. "Let me be clear: The fighting must stop," Guterres said. "International navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab must be fully restored. And diplomacy must prevail."

The appeal comes amid sustained military operations that show no sign of abating, leaving global supply chains increasingly exposed to further disruption as vulnerable nations face mounting food security crises.