The spokesman for the UN Secretary-General announced that Antonio Guterres has called on Iran and the United States to resume negotiations to reach a lasting agreement to end the conflict.
Publish dateTuesday 18 August 2026 - 12:00
Story Code : 363375
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): In a press conference, Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in response to a question about the Secretary-General's message at the end of the 60-day deadline for negotiations for a final agreement based on the June 17 Iran-US memorandum of understanding, Guterres called for the resumption of negotiations.
According to the ANSA news agency, Dujarric said: "His message is the same message he has been announcing since the beginning of this conflict: there is no military solution to this conflict."
He added: “He calls on the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States to resume negotiations as soon as possible to reach a peaceful and lasting agreement, to refrain from military action, and to reduce the intensity of the rhetoric that we have been hearing in recent days.”
In the June memorandum of understanding, the United States and Iran had committed to “negotiate a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days, with the possibility of extension by mutual consent.”
Meanwhile, without mentioning Washington’s insistence on accepting Iran’s legitimate conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump threw the ball into Iran’s court on Monday, saying Tehran wants to reach an agreement with Washington, but is not willing to accept an agreement of the kind that he considers necessary.
Trump’s remarks came as the 60-day period of negotiations between the two sides ended.
“They want to make a deal, but they’re not going to make the kind of deal that I think is necessary,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.
Trump reiterated his claims that he had used to attack Iranian territory, saying, “You know, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and it will not have one. It’s very simple. They cannot start a nuclear war.”
Trump also claimed that the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz through a naval blockade of all Iranian ports, and once again floated the idea of turning it into American territory.
“We control it by blockade. And I like the idea of declaring it as territory. We have total control of the Strait now.”
Trump's comments came as Iran responded strongly to Trump, with a senior Iranian official telling Reuters that Washington had only "a few weeks" to fully implement Iran's interpretation of the June memorandum of understanding to allow for further talks.
The official threatened that if diplomacy failed, Iran would launch a "timely and precise" military strike aimed at breaking the US naval blockade, saying: "Iranian institutions must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region."
According to the ANSA news agency, Dujarric said: "His message is the same message he has been announcing since the beginning of this conflict: there is no military solution to this conflict."
He added: “He calls on the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States to resume negotiations as soon as possible to reach a peaceful and lasting agreement, to refrain from military action, and to reduce the intensity of the rhetoric that we have been hearing in recent days.”
In the June memorandum of understanding, the United States and Iran had committed to “negotiate a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days, with the possibility of extension by mutual consent.”
Meanwhile, without mentioning Washington’s insistence on accepting Iran’s legitimate conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump threw the ball into Iran’s court on Monday, saying Tehran wants to reach an agreement with Washington, but is not willing to accept an agreement of the kind that he considers necessary.
Trump’s remarks came as the 60-day period of negotiations between the two sides ended.
“They want to make a deal, but they’re not going to make the kind of deal that I think is necessary,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.
Trump reiterated his claims that he had used to attack Iranian territory, saying, “You know, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and it will not have one. It’s very simple. They cannot start a nuclear war.”
Trump also claimed that the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz through a naval blockade of all Iranian ports, and once again floated the idea of turning it into American territory.
“We control it by blockade. And I like the idea of declaring it as territory. We have total control of the Strait now.”
Trump's comments came as Iran responded strongly to Trump, with a senior Iranian official telling Reuters that Washington had only "a few weeks" to fully implement Iran's interpretation of the June memorandum of understanding to allow for further talks.
The official threatened that if diplomacy failed, Iran would launch a "timely and precise" military strike aimed at breaking the US naval blockade, saying: "Iranian institutions must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region."
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