ISLAMABAD, October 10 — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres held a joint press conference with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Tuesday, marking the start of his two-day official visit to Pakistan. During the briefing, Guterres appealed for an end to the United States-Iran war, urging all parties to return to diplomacy and fully restore navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law. He stated that the crisis began in late February following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to launch counterattacks on targets in Gulf countries and Jordan and to block transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor for global trade in crude oil, fertilisers, and liquified natural gas.
Guterres noted that hundreds of ships and their crews have been stranded at sea for months due to the blockade. He also reported that fighting has spread to Yemen’s Red Sea coast, where Iran-backed Houthi forces are engaged in combat with Government troops supported by Saudi Arabia over control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The UN chief praised Pakistan for its diplomatic efforts, specifically referencing the 17 June Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, which he said helped deliver a subsequent ceasefire and established a framework for further negotiations.
He emphasized that every Pakistani should be proud of this pivotal role in facilitating dialogue. Guterres linked regional peace to the realization of Palestinian self-determination, a cause Pakistan has long championed, and expressed hope for peace and prosperity anchored in dialogue and cooperation. He commended Pakistan as a source of solidarity and solutions, highlighting its decades-long role in sheltering millions of Afghans fleeing conflict and instability, and reiterated the UN’s commitment to ensuring any returns are voluntary, safe, and dignified.
Guterres recalled Pakistan’s service as a member of the UN Security Council over the past two years, noting its advocacy for multilateralism, dialogue, mediation, and diplomacy amid growing global division and mistrust. He also pointed out that Pakistan is among the world’s longest-standing and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping, paying tribute to the more than 180 Pakistani blue helmets who have died in service of peace. Additionally, he noted that Pakistan and Denmark co-led UN Security Council Resolution 2823, which strengthens accountability for crimes against UN peacekeepers and was co-sponsored by 153 countries—the highest number of co-sponsors for any Security Council resolution in UN history.
Guterres acknowledged the immense suffering Pakistan has endured from deadly terrorist attacks and reflected on his prior visit during the catastrophic floods of 2022, stating that Pakistan is on the frontlines of climate chaos despite contributing only a tiny fraction of global emissions, while also being on the frontlines of the response. He cited Pakistan’s leadership in establishing the Loss and Damage Fund and its growing clean energy transition, and urged developed countries to take the lead in ensuring a drastic reduction in global emissions this decade.
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More World News coverage: More than 184,000 displaced in Yemen since August as fighting intensifies, IOM reports
