UN Chief Guterres to Visit Pakistan, Highlights Role in US-Iran Mediation
UNITED NATIONS, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced that he will visit Pakistan “soon,” while highlighting Islamabad’s role in diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the continuing US-Iran conflict.
Guterres made the remarks during his final press conference ahead of the high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he strongly advocated renewed dialogue as the path towards ending the conflict. His Pakistan visit, being made at the invitation of the government, is expected next month, according to APP and the Express Tribune.
Asked about prospects for US-Iran negotiations during the UN gathering, Guterres said it would be useful for dialogue to take place at the United Nations, although talks could ultimately occur elsewhere. What mattered, he stressed, was restoring direct diplomatic engagement.
The UN chief said the crisis had expanded beyond Washington and Tehran, affecting Gulf countries and producing significant consequences for regional economies as well as the wider global economy.
Guterres specifically identified Pakistan and Türkiye as important mediators. He also referred to the diplomatic involvement of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while noting that Saudi Arabia itself had become affected by the widening conflict.
The secretary-general said the situation required serious dialogue not only between the United States and Iran, but also between Iran and Gulf countries, with regional mediators playing a role in efforts to reduce tensions.
Pakistan has been involved in mediation efforts since the conflict intensified earlier this year. In April, Islamabad hosted negotiations involving US and Iranian delegations, while Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been involved in broader diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.
The United Nations has separately supported efforts for a negotiated settlement. In April, Guterres sent his personal envoy, Jean Arnault, on a regional diplomatic mission that included Iran and was expected to include Pakistan, with the UN saying the initiative was intended to support a “comprehensive and durable” resolution to the conflict.
Pakistan has continued diplomatic engagement even as renewed hostilities complicated earlier mediation. In August, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Iranian leaders had expressed appreciation for Islamabad’s efforts towards de-escalation and a peaceful resolution.
Guterres stressed that diplomacy remained the viable path forward and warned against further escalation in a conflict that has already spread beyond its original participants.
His planned Pakistan visit is therefore expected to place regional diplomacy and the continuing US-Iran crisis high on the agenda, although detailed dates and an official programme for the trip have not yet been announced in the reporting reviewed.
