New york: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is "on the edge of a wider war" with far-reaching global consequences, calling for an immediate halt to escalation.

According to Qatar News Agency, speaking to reporters Thursday in New York, Guterres cautioned that continued tensions, including risks to the Strait of Hormuz, could drive up food and energy prices. He stated, "When the Strait of Hormuz is strangled, the world's poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe."

He further urged, "The spiral of death and destruction must stop," emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Guterres concluded his address by stating, "Conflicts do not end on their own. They end when leaders choose dialogue over destruction. That choice still exists. And it must be made now."