New York, 14 April 2026 (dpa/MIA) – UN Secretary General António Guterres on Monday urged the United States and Iran to resume peace talks and make a serious effort to reach a lasting settlement of the conflict in the Middle East.

"After weeks of destruction & distress, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East," Guterres wrote on X.

"I call for resumption of talks for an agreement to be reached."

At the same time, the current two-week ceasefire "must absolutely be preserved," Guterres said. All violations must cease, he added.

Guterres said all parties to the conflict must respect the freedom of navigation, including the Strait of Hormuz, in line with international law.

The US began its naval blockade of the strait on Monday as President Donald Trump warned of possible military action against Iranian vessels and Tehran condemned the move as illegal.

The US Central Command said it would restrict certain ships from transiting the strategic waterway. The measures apply to vessels with an Iranian port as their point of departure or destination in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, while other shipping is not affected.

Iran's armed forces condemned the move as an "act of piracy," according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The blockade was announced after 21 hours of talks between Washington and Tehran, held in Pakistan, failed on Sunday.

The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most critical chokepoints for global oil trade.

Following the outbreak of the conflict on February 28, Tehran had effectively blocked the waterway, halting tanker traffic and driving up global energy prices.

Photo: MIA archive