Guterres calls on Iran and the United States to resume negotiations immediately

13 July 2026 (PEN) UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep concern over the dangerous escalation and renewed military confrontations in the Gulf region, calling on Iran and the United States to resume negotiations "urgently" and address outstanding issues through diplomatic channels.

In a statement attributed to his spokesman, Guterres stressed the need for an immediate halt to Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, US attacks on Iran, and Iranian attacks on targets in neighboring countries.

He urged all parties to exercise "maximum restraint," avoid any steps that could escalate the situation, and take immediate action to reduce tensions and restore "full freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Secretary-General warned that a return to large-scale hostilities "would have disastrous consequences for the people of the region, for international peace and security, and for the global economy."

Guterres’ statement comes amid renewed escalation between Iran and the United States in the Gulf region, where the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil trade passes, has witnessed a series of attacks on ships and sites in neighboring countries, raising international fears of a widening confrontation and its impact on energy security and international peace and security, at a time when diplomatic channels between the two sides have stalled.