UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday (28) called on the United States and Iran to sustain their diplomatic efforts toward peace, following a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's high-level week.
Guterres and Araqchi met as Washington and Tehran continue indirect negotiations over an Iranian proposal that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz seven days after a deal is reached.
The UN Secretary-General and the Iranian foreign minister "exchanged views on the ongoing conflict in the region," a UN spokesperson said.
Guterres "welcomed the diplomatic efforts that have been made during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly" with the aim of ending the conflict, the spokesperson added.
He also "urged the parties to maintain these efforts and to resolve their outstanding differences through negotiations in order to achieve peace," the spokesperson said.
The meeting came after Guterres had met on Friday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging resolution of the conflict through dialogue and negotiation, as well as respect for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Shortly after that meeting, Araqchi addressed the press outside the Security Council to outline the seven-day plan Iran had proposed to the United States through Qatari mediators. According to the Iranian minister, the proposal builds on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries in June and envisages the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as well as the resumption of talks on Iran's nuclear programme.
In exchange, Washington would be expected to lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports, reduce military pressure, and ease sanctions, according to the proposal put forward by Tehran. US President Donald Trump rejected the plan on Saturday. However, Iranian news agency ISNA reported that Araqchi held indirect talks with the United States on Monday in an effort to find a solution.
In response to reporting by news portal Axios, Trump stated that he had not offered Iran sanctions relief or the unfreezing of funds.
Dialogue between Tehran and Washington had been suspended since the collapse of a memorandum of understanding in June.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=548452
