United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres says that the ceasefire between Iran and the United States must absolutely be preserved and all violations must cease, according to a statement by his spokesperson.

Per the statement, Guterres says that after weeks of “destruction and distress”, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East.

“While no agreement was reached at the talks hosted by Pakistan between the US and Iran in Islamabad, the discussions themselves underscored the seriousness of their engagement and constituted a positive and meaningful step toward renewed dialogue,” he states.

Given the deeply rooted differences, Guterres emphasises that an agreement cannot be reached overnight, and calls on the talks to continue constructively for an agreement to be reached.

“At the same time, the ceasefire must absolutely be preserved. All violations must cease,” he stresses.

Guterres has thanked the “continued efforts of the mediators – Pakistan, which hosted these talks, as well as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye – and calls for the international community to support those efforts”.