Israel Bans U.N. Chief Over Iran Missile Attack Response

Israel's foreign minister has barred U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country for not explicitly condemning Iran's missile attack. The incident occurred amidst rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Guterres condemned the escalation without naming Iran directly, prompting Israel to declare him persona non grata.

Israel's foreign minister announced on Wednesday that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is barred from entering the country due to his failure to unequivocally condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel.

The incident took place on Tuesday, when Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, leading to heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. While many missiles were intercepted, some penetrated missile defenses. Guterres issued a statement condemning the wave of conflict but did not directly mention Iran, sparking outrage in Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated that Guterres' lack of explicit condemnation made him persona non grata. He asserted, "Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil." U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric called the ban political, emphasizing that the U.N. does not recognize the concept of persona non grata for its staff. Guterres later reiterated his strong condemnation of the missile attack during a Security Council meeting.

(With inputs from agencies.)