U.N. Secretary-General Guterres Blocked from Israel Amid Accusations of Supporting Iran

• Israel has declared U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata, accusing him of failing to condemn Iran’s recent missile attack
• Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized Guterres for his perceived anti-Israel bias, claiming the U.N. leader supports "terrorists, rapists, and murderers"
• The ban follows a major escalation in hostilities, as Iran fired over 180 ballistic missiles into Israel amid rising regional tensions

CHECK OUT: Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with LEGIT. Enroll Now!

Tensions escalated sharply between Israel and the United Nations on Wednesday, as Israel announced that it had banned U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country, citing his failure to condemn Iran’s recent missile attack.

The announcement came during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, overshadowing discussions on the conflict in the region.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz delivered the blunt message, stating that Guterres had been declared persona non grata for his perceived neutrality—leniency—toward Iran and militant groups hostile to Israel.

U.N. Secretary-General Guterres barred from Israel

"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," Katz said, reflecting the depth of Israel’s frustration with Guterres. "This is an anti-Israel secretary-general who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers. Guterres will be remembered as a stain on the history of the U.N. for generations to come."

The move follows a major escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran, after Iran fired over 180 ballistic missiles into Israel on Tuesday. The attack, which followed the death of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Israeli military incursions into Lebanon, has been described as one of the most significant confrontations in years.

In response to the attack, Guterres issued a statement that appeared to criticize all parties involved, referring broadly to "escalation after escalation" in the Middle East. However, what particularly irked Israel were his pointed remarks on the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

Presidency raises alarm as Israel, Iran launch missiles

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian presidency has asked all Nigerians living in Lebanon to report to the Nigerian mission in the East African country for profiling, documentation and then evacuation as Iran launched missile attacks on Israel, and retaliation is expected.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have reached a boiling point after a "serious attack" prompted Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari to pledge consequences.