ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's prime minister and its military chief have been "critical" in bringing hope that diplomacy can still work in the Iran-US conflict, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday.
Stephane Dujarric made the remarks to Pakistan TV Digital's South Speaks with Saqib during UNGA's high-level week in New York, where more than 190 heads of state and government converged on the United Nations.
“The efforts of the Pakistani government, of your prime minister, of your head of the military, have been critical in bringing us some hope that diplomacy is possible,” Dujarric said.
He pointed to the calm that followed the Islamabad agreement as evidence of what mediation can achieve.
“We saw in the aftermath of the Islamabad agreement a calm return for a while, so we know it's possible,” he said, naming Pakistan alongside Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as mediators whose efforts have been "critical."
Dujarric said the secretary-general's message throughout the conflict has remained consistent.
“It's diplomacy, it's dialogue, it's de-escalation,” he said, warning that the war has instead drawn in more countries, hit Gulf states, damaged civilian infrastructure in Iran, and driven up global food and energy prices as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted.
He said UN agencies are working on practical measures to ease the impact, including efforts to establish a mechanism for safe and orderly humanitarian maritime transit through the Strait.
Dujarric confirmed Guterres intends to visit Pakistan before his term as secretary-general ends this December.
“I know the Secretary-General is committed to visiting Pakistan before the end of his term in December,” he said.
He said such a visit would continue a pattern of engagement with Pakistan.
“The Secretary-General has shown a lot of great solidarity with Pakistan. He's come after natural disasters, after floods, and also as a sign of appreciation for the cooperation between the United Nations and Pakistan,” Dujarric said.
On terrorism, Dujarric said the threat demands both a security and a development response.