UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced conditional support for Donald Trump’s Gaza reconstruction push while sharply criticizing the broader initiative and advocating for a multilateral approach to easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Guterres Backs Gaza Reconstruction Aligned With UN Framework
“There is an objective there that was defined, approved by the Security Council, and we are cooperating actively,” Guterres said in an interview with Politico published on Saturday.
Beyond Gaza, Guterres dismissed the broader “Board of Peace” initiative, characterizing it as overly centralized.
“Everything else now is a personal project of President Trump, in which he has full control of everything,” he said.
He warned that such an approach is ineffective in addressing complex global crises, highlighting the need to uphold international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Push For UN Role In Strait Of Hormuz De-Escalation
Turning to rising tensions involving Iran, Guterres called for an end to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and suggested the UN could help stabilize the situation.
He pointed to past mediation efforts like the Black Sea Grain Initiative as a model for creating safe transit corridors.
“Of course, it’s a different context,” he stated, adding, “It would be a different solution. But we would like to be useful and we are prepared to manage the system.”
Guterres also confirmed that he has not spoken directly with Trump about the escalating situation, saying, “No, no, no,” though he remains in contact with other U.S. officials.
Iran Slams Pentagon’s $200 Billion War Funding Request
On Friday, Trump said he was open to dialogue with Iran but did not support a ceasefire, arguing that halting fighting is not appropriate when one side is overwhelmingly dominating the other.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, Iran’s foreign minister blasted the Pentagon’s reported request for over $200 billion in supplemental funding for the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.
He called it just “the tip of the iceberg” and warned that American taxpayers could face a significant financial strain.
The Pentagon’s briefing to lawmakers also indicated that the conflict’s initial costs have surged quickly. Officials told senators that at least $11.3 billion was spent in the first six days alone, a figure that does not reflect the full cost of the fighting.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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