UN can offer negotiation platform to Iran, US, but they have to want it — body's chief

UNITED NATIONS, September 16. /TASS/. The United Nations can offer to host negotiations between the United States and Iran, but it's the warring sides that have to decide to talk, Secretary-General of the global organization Antonio Guterres said in response to a TASS reporter’s question.

"We can only organize what people will be willing to do," the UN chief said when asked if he had considered hosting talks between Iranian and US negotiators at the UN General Assembly High-level Week 2026.

Resolving the Middle East crisis without dialogue would be impossible, Guterres emphasized.

The headquarters of the global organization in New York City will host the General Debate of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) with the participation of heads of state and government, as well as foreign ministers, on September 22-26 and September 28. The Russian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the UNGA session on September 22, while Iran is listed as a speaker on September 23.