US-Iran Gulf Conflict Escalates as UN Calls for Maximum Restraint

The United States and Iran intensified their exchange of attacks in the Gulf, with U.S. forces striking the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and targeting submarine‑maintenance facilities, while Iran hit U.S. bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. The United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres voiced “deep concern” over the renewed fighting, urging all parties to exercise “maximum restraint” and warning that a broader war would have catastrophic regional and global economic consequences. He called for an immediate return to diplomatic talks and the restoration of full freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a naval blockade of Iranian ports and a 20% tax on cargoes transiting the strait, prompting Iran to warn it would not allow U.S. interference in the waterway.