UN reiterates maximum restraint for Gulf tensions

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the need for "maximum restraint" to prevent further escalation of tensions in the Gulf.

Guterres said he has "consistently conveyed a clear message to leaders both publicly and privately in numerous meetings and calls" and "that message can be boiled down to two words: maximum restraint."

"I once again urge all parties to refrain from any actions that will escalate tensions further," he said, briefing the press at UN Headquarters in New York.

"A minor miscalculation could lead to a major confrontation. The last thing the world needs is a major confrontation in the Gulf that will have devastating implications on global security and the global economy," Guterres added.

The UN chief also stressed the need to respect the rights and duties relating to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters in accordance with international law.

Tensions in the Gulf have been on the rise in the past several months. In one of the latest incidents, Iran seized a Britain-flagged oil tanker in mid-July in the Strait of Hormuz over what it described as a breach of international maritime regulations, Xinhua recalls.

This came after Iran's own oil tanker had been seized by British marines over an alleged breach of the European Union's sanctions against Syria.