UN chief urges US and Iran to resume talks as conflict enters sixth month

New York, USA, August 29, 2026 — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the United States and Iran to return to meaningful negotiations and seek a diplomatic solution to their six-month-old conflict, his spokesperson said Friday.

Speaking to reporters, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the six-month mark of the conflict as a “sad marker” and reiterated the UN’s position that diplomacy remains the only viable path toward ending the hostilities.

“We again stress that the only solution to this is a diplomatic solution,” Dujarric said, urging both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to engage in meaningful negotiations.

He said the United Nations supports mediation efforts by Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. According to Dujarric, Guterres has remained in close contact with representatives involved in those efforts.

The UN chief remains particularly concerned about the conflict’s humanitarian and economic consequences. Dujarric said the fighting has affected global food supplies, restricted the movement of humanitarian goods and fertilizers, and contributed to higher energy prices.

Guterres’ personal envoy for the conflict, Jean Arnault, also remains available and in contact with the parties and mediators to help facilitate a lasting settlement, Dujarric said.

The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military attacks against Iran. Iran subsequently retaliated with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf.

The fighting also severely disrupted international energy trade after the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route for global oil shipments, was largely blocked.

On June 18, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that called for negotiations within 60 days aimed at reaching a final agreement. However, renewed escalation between the two countries has left the future of those talks uncertain.