UN urges US and Iran to keep talking, says Middle East conflict has no military solution

NEW YORK: The United Nations on Monday called on the United States and Iran to continue engaging after talks in Islamabad ended without an agreement, with UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric saying the conflict in the Middle East cannot be resolved through military means.

In a statement, Dujarric said “After weeks of destruction and distress, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East.”

Referring to the recent negotiations in Islamabad, he said that although the two sides did not reach a deal, the discussions reflected serious engagement and represented a positive move toward renewed dialogue. He added that, given the depth of the differences between the two countries, a settlement could not be achieved immediately.

Dujarric said UN Secretary-General António Guterres had urged the continuation of constructive talks aimed at reaching an agreement. He also thanked Pakistan for facilitating the dialogue and called on mediators to keep working. He further urged Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye and the wider international community to support those efforts.

The UN spokesperson also stressed the need to maintain the ceasefire and called on all sides to observe it. He said, The ceasefire must absolutely be preserved. All violations must cease.

Sharing Guterres’s message, Dujarric said all parties must also respect freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international law. He said around 20,000 seafarers had been caught up in the conflict and remained stranded aboard ships while facing growing hardship.

According to the UN spokesperson, disruption to maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz has already affected global economic stability, increased fragility across sectors and could further deepen food insecurity for vulnerable populations around the world.

The US and Iran failed to secure an agreement after marathon talks in Islamabad that ended on Sunday, putting a fragile ceasefire at risk. The 21-hour negotiations did not produce a breakthrough, and both sides blamed each other for the collapse of the effort to end fighting that has killed thousands and driven up global oil prices since the war began more than six weeks ago.

US Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan after announcing that the intensive discussions had not resulted in an agreement, while also appreciating Pakistan’s role. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said,

We had been at it for 21 hours and had held several substantive discussions with the Iranians. That was the good news. The bad news was that we had not reached an agreement, and I think that was bad news for Iran much more than it was for the United States of America.

Iran, meanwhile, said Washington had derailed the talks after the two sides had come close to an agreement. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement, “We had engaged with the US in good faith to end the war.”

After the talks failed, US President Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for hosting the negotiations in Islamabad and announced that the US Navy would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on February 28. The attacks killed thousands in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and injured tens of thousands, with civilian areas such as residential buildings and religious sites among the locations hit.

Iran responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf states hosting US military assets. It also restricted ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz.

As part of efforts to reduce tensions, Pakistan also hosted a quadrilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Islamabad involving representatives of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the wider Middle East.