Guterres commended the efforts of Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey in mediating between the United States and Iran during the talks hosted by the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

He called on the international community to support the mediators’ efforts and their endeavors to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East region. At the same time, he urged Iran and the United States to continue their dialogue.

The Secretary-General considered the recent Islamabad talks a step that can be built upon to continue the dialogue towards ending the conflict and halting its serious economic repercussions for the region and the world.

The Secretary-General also directed the activation of the “Strategy of Hormuz” mechanism and tasked his Special Envoy with intensifying contacts in this regard and coordinating with relevant UN agencies to ensure freedom and safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

This came in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General regarding the situation in the Middle East.

The statement read, “After weeks of tension and destruction, it has become clear to everyone that there is no military solution to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Although no agreement was reached in the talks held in Pakistan between the United States and Iran, and despite the efforts of international mediators, the discussions themselves demonstrated a seriousness on the part of the parties involved. This can be considered an important and positive step upon which to build in order to continue the dialogue between the two sides.”

The UN Secretary-General, through his spokesperson, noted that given the depth of the disagreements between the United States and Iran, “it is unreasonable to expect an agreement to be reached overnight.” The Secretary-General called on both sides to continue their constructive dialogue in order to reach an agreement.