UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday named veteran diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy to support efforts to end the Middle East conflict, saying the “world is staring down the barrel of a wider war”.

Guterres told reporters at the UN in New York that he had been in close contact with many in the region and around the world and that a number of initiatives for dialogue and peace were under way, stressing that these efforts must succeed.

He warned that prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz was choking movement of oil, gas, and fertiliser at a critical moment in the global food planting season. “It is time to stop climbing the escalation ladder – and start climbing the diplomatic ladder,” he said.

Guterres said UN mediators have offered their services and Arnault would do “everything possible” to support peace efforts.

Arnault has more than 30 years’ experience in international diplomacy focusing on peace settlements and mediation.