New York, April 22 (QNA) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the United States' announcement of an extension to the ceasefire with Iran.

Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said, "this is an important step toward de-escalation and creating critical space for diplomacy and confidence-building between Iran and the United States."

"We encourage all parties to build on this momentum, refrain from actions that could undermine the ceasefire, and engage constructively in negotiations to reach a sustainable and lasting resolution," he added.

Dujarric affirmed the Secretary-General’s full support for Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate further talks, and expressed his hope that these efforts would contribute to creating favorable conditions for reaching a comprehensive and lasting solution to the conflict.

This welcome comes amid Pakistani-led efforts for a second round of negotiations between the US and Iran, aimed at finding a solution to end the conflict.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would extend the ceasefire with Iran until Tehran puts forward a proposal to end the conflict permanently. He said that his decision came at the request of Pakistan so that Iranian leaders could come up with a unified proposal. (QNA)