New York (USA), 7 April (LaPresse) – UN Secretary-General António Guterres is “deeply disturbed” by the suggestion that an entire people or civilisation could suffer “the consequences of political and military decisions”. This was stated by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. Guterres did not name Trump, but was clearly referring to the warning issued by the US president to Iran, according to which “an entire civilisation will die tonight” if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened. “There is no military objective that justifies the large-scale destruction of a society’s infrastructure or the deliberate infliction of suffering on civilian populations,” said Guterres’s spokesperson. The Secretary-General reiterates that leaders can still choose “dialogue over destruction” and that the decision to begin talks must be made now, Dujarric said. Guterres, the spokesperson added, is calling for more robust diplomatic engagement to find a path to peace and urges the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.