Israel declares UN chief 'persona non grata' over Iran attack response

Israel's foreign minister said that he was barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country because he had not "unequivocally" condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel.

Antonio Guterres issued a brief statement referencing only the "latest attacks in the Middle East" and condemning the conflict "with escalation after escalation". Source: EPA / Justin Lane

Israel declared UN chief Antonio Guterres "persona non grata", accusing him of failing to specifically condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel.

"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," said Foreign Minister Israel Katz in a statement.

Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday amid an escalation in fighting between its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. Many were intercepted mid-air but some penetrated missile defences. No casualties were reported.

"This is an anti-Israel Secretary-General who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers," Katz said.

Katz added that Guterres, who he said supported the "murderers of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Huthis, and now Iran, the mothership of global terror, will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN for generations to come".

Following Iran's missile attack, Guterres condemned the "broadening conflict in the Middle East", slamming "escalation after escalation" in the region.

"This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire," said Guterres.

Israel has been a harsh critic of the UN, with ties between the state and the international body souring even more after the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Guterres has repeatedly called for a ceasefire to halt the fighting in both Gaza and Lebanon.