The United Nations on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to maintain dialogue, with a spokesman calling U.S.-Iran tensions and the situation around the Strait of Hormuz concerning while noting that diplomatic engagement between the two nations has remained subdued.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a press conference that the organization hopes both sides will continue talks mediated by countries including Qatar and Pakistan.
According to a report by U.S. news outlet Axios on Wednesday, U.S.-Iran indirect talks on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York hit a stalemate on Monday, after which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded that Iran's delegation attending the Assembly leave the United States immediately.
In response, Dujarric said the UN has not set a uniform deadline for national delegations to leave the country after the General Assembly session ends. The UN has consistently held that diplomats with official UN business should be allowed to carry out their work.
UN voices hope for continued U.S.-Iran dialogue amid stalled talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that his country will never shy away from dialogue with the United States.
"We have never shied away from talks, and we never will, although the United States has targeted our country three times despite having signed an agreement," the semi-official Tasnim News Agency quoted him as saying.
He criticized the U.S. for not seeking talks with Iran, saying Tehran is weighing Washington's response to its latest proposal.
Iran said a day earlier it had received a formal U.S. reply to its proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. media reported Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may ramp up military strikes against Iran after November's midterm elections.
A day earlier, Trump told reporters military action could come if no deal is reached with Iran, adding the time for a decision is drawing near.
The U.S. and Iran held a new round of indirect talks in New York on Monday. U.S. media said negotiations hit an impasse as neither side was willing to make concessions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has returned to Tehran from New York.
Earlier, Araghchi announced at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 25 that Iran had relayed conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and advancing negotiations to Washington via Qatar.
According to U.S. media reports, Iran has proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade, lifts oil sales sanctions, and restores a regional ceasefire. Trump said on Sept. 26 he had rejected the proposal.
Iran not to shy away from dialogue with U.S.: Iranian President
