Sri Lanka, March 2 -- "Everything must be done" to prevent wider escalation of war across the Middle East following joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran, and retaliatory action from Tehran targeting multiple countries in the region, the UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Saturday.

Antonio Guterres described the day's events as a grave threat to international peace and security, urging the international community to unite and pull the entire region "back from the brink".

Guterres reminded the council that Article Two of the UN Charter states that all Member States "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State," and t...