UN chief calls for resumption of Iran-US talks

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls on Iran and the United States to resume negotiations toward a durable settlement to the conflict, his spokesperson said Monday.

Asked at a briefing about the UN chief's message as the 60-day deadline for a negotiated final deal under the June 17 Iran-US memorandum of understanding (MoU) expired on Monday, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, said that Guterres wants negotiations to resume.

"His message is the same, which he's been delivering since the start, which is there is no military solution to this conflict," said Dujarric.

"He urges the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States to resume negotiations toward a peaceful and durable settlement as soon as possible, to avoid military action and as well to lower the rhetoric that we've been hearing in recent days." In the MoU, the United States and Iran committed themselves "to negotiating and achieving the final deal in maximum 60 days, extendable with mutual consent." Read more: US-Iran MoU expires after 60 days: Where do things stand?