New York. In a strong statement on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres blasted the various factions of the ongoing Middle East conflict, saying the fighting “has broken past limits even leaders thought imaginable.”

He specifically called on the United States  and Israel, whose joint strikes last month started the war against Iran, to end the fighting as “human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating.”

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

He also announced the appointment of a personal envoy to lead the world body’s efforts on the conflict and the recent peace efforts that are underway.