Guterres says 'highly probable' Iran talks will restart

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday (April 14) the indication the United Nations had had was that it was highly probable talks to end the Iran war will restart.

Asked what the United Nations knew about prospects for this, Guterres told reporters at the United Nations: "The indication we have is that it is highly probable that these talks will restart."

Guterres added that he met on Tuesday with the deputy prime minister of Pakistan, and praised Pakistan's peace efforts.

"I consider it essential that these negotiations go on," Guterres said.

"I think it would be unrealistic to expect ... such a complex problem, long lasting problem, could be resolved in the first session of a negotiation. So we need negotiations to go on, and we need a ceasefire to persist as negotiations go on."

He said Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was doing a "great job" on the talks.

-David Brunnstrom, Roselle Chen/Reuters