UN chief urges respect for ceasefire and continued US-Iran diplomacy

WASHINGTON: The UN chief on Monday called for continued diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran, while urging all parties to respect an existing ceasefire and ensure compliance with international law, including maritime freedom of navigation.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is pressing for talks to continue "constructively" in order to reach a lasting agreement.

"The ceasefire must absolutely be respected and all violations must cease," Dujarric said.

Guterres thanked the continued efforts of the mediators, Pakistan, which hosted the talks, as well as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye, Dujarric said.

"He calls for the international community to continue to support these efforts.

"The Secretary-General stresses that all parties to this conflict must respect freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz, in line with international law," he added.

"We need to remember that some 20,000 seafarers have been caught up in this conflict and are currently stranded on ships, facing increasing hardships daily."

With that in mind, the Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, working with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Chamber of Commerce, continues engaging extensively with relevant parties to design and operationalize the mechanism we announced for the Strait of Hormuz on March 27.

For his part, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Jean Arnault, remains actively engaged in the region, consulting closely with key stakeholders and continuing his outreach in support of a comprehensive and durable agreement.