UN chief welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, calls on parties involved to comply with international law

NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of two-week ceasefire by the US and Iran and urged all the parties involved in the ongoing conflict in West Asia to comply with their obligations under international law and abide by the terms of ceasefire.

Guterres stressed that an end to hostilities is urgently needed to "protect the lives of people and alleviate human suffering". He expressed appreciation for countries involved in facilitating the ceasefire.

According to the statement, Guterres' Personal Envoy Jean Arnault is in the region to support efforts toward lasting peace.

Guterres' statement came after US President Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week pause in planned attacks tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a development that came as a big relief to people across the world.

The decision came 90 minutes before the self-imposed 8 pm EST deadline set by Trump for Iran to reach a deal, after backchannel diplomacy.