Marathon talks hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad over the weekend ended without a breakthrough, but the UN said the engagement itself was a constructive step. “Given the deeply rooted differences, an agreement cannot be reached overnight,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, adding that “the ceasefire must absolutely be preserved” and all violations must stop.
Guterres thanked Pakistan and other mediators, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye, and urged international support for renewed diplomacy. He also reiterated that freedom of navigation must be respected, including through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
The UN statement noted that the United States has announced a blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports, which took effect on Monday, further deepening uncertainty for maritime traffic.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has raised alarm over the humanitarian toll at sea, with about 20 000 seafarers still stranded on vessels in the Persian Gulf. IMO Secretary‑General Arsenio Dominguez warned that crews face prolonged confinement, possible shortages of supplies and the continuing risk of attack.
Disruptions in Hormuz are also raising global economic and food security risks. Under normal conditions, about 35% of global crude oil flows through the strait daily, alongside roughly 30% of fertiliser trade and 20% of liquefied natural gas, according to UN agencies. Food and Agriculture Organisation officials cautioned that the halt in fertiliser and fuel shipments could begin to tighten supplies in the coming weeks, threatening the next planting season and increasing the risk of higher food prices and renewed inflation pressures.
Against this backdrop, the UN said engagement continues on the design and operation of a newly appointed UN task force focused on the Strait of Hormuz. The Secretary‑General’s Personal Envoy for the Middle East conflict, Jean Arnault, remains engaged in consultations across the region in support of a comprehensive and durable agreement.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
