UN chief Guterres urges global shift away from nuclear weapons

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a global shift away from nuclear weapons, urging states to replace threats with dialogue and arms racing with arms control. In a post on the social media platform X, Guterres wrote: "Let's replace threats with dialogue, arms racing with arms control, paralysis with concrete action, and choose a future free from nuclear weapons." The remarks did not refer to any particular conflict, according to the report.

Guterres has served as the UN chief since January 1, 2017. His decade-long mandate is due to end on December 31 this year, and a successor has yet to be named. The statement comes as his tenure approaches its conclusion, with the process of selecting the next secretary-general still unresolved.

The call touches on longstanding UN priorities regarding weapons of mass destruction and disarmament. Guterres has repeatedly used his platform to advocate for arms control measures and dialogue among states, though the post did not single out any country or dispute.

The remarks were carried by Mehr News, which reported that the UN chief's comments made no reference to a specific conflict. The report by Mehr News added that Guterres has held the office of secretary-general since the start of 2017 and that his mandate ends on December 31 this year, with no successor announced so far.