Apr 9 (Reuters) – UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ personal envoy, Jean Arnault, met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi in Tehran on Thursday as part of the United Nations’ efforts to end the war in Iran, the UN said.
Arnault also met with representatives of the Iranian Red Crescent and visited some civilian sites damaged by recent airstrikes, including a university and an apartment block that was destroyed, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said at a briefing in New York.
“He listened to views on the way forward and reiterated the Secretary-General’s firm commitment to make every possible effort to support a peaceful resolution to this conflict,” he said.
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Dujarric said Arnault would continue his regional tour with several visits to the Middle East ‘with the aim of supporting ongoing efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting solution to this conflict.’
The UN said on Wednesday that Arnault should also visit in the coming days Pakistan, which facilitated the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and has been preparing for a first round of talks between the two countries.
Dujarric said the envoy was discussing the constructive role the world body could play in bringing peace.
He said Arnault’s meeting with the deputy minister was ‘substantive, and he looks forward to continuing his consultations’.
‘We hope he stays in Tehran a little longer, but obviously things change very quickly,’ Dujarric said.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom)
