Diyar Güldoğan
10 July 2026•Update: 10 July 2026
The UN on Friday urged Iran, the US and other parties to engage constructively and in "good faith" to achieve a lasting resolution on the Iran nuclear issue, saying continued negotiations remain essential to regional and international security.
Addressing the UN Security Council, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo delivered a message from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasizing that diplomacy remains the only viable path forward despite persistent differences over Tehran's nuclear program.
"The secretary-general calls on all parties to engage constructively and in good faith to achieve a peaceful, comprehensive and durable resolution of the Iran nuclear issue, consistent with the objectives of Resolution 2231 and the broader goal of strengthening international peace and security," DiCarlo said.
She added that "a framework for further negotiations remains a critical step towards the peaceful settlement of the Iran nuclear issue."
While significant differences remain over the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, the parties have all reaffirmed the importance of pursuing a diplomatic solution and expressed readiness to continue engagement, DiCarlo noted.
She pointed to the June 17 Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran as evidence of continued diplomatic efforts. The memorandum includes agreements to resolve the disposition of Iran's stockpile of enriched nuclear material, conduct on-site down-blending of enriched material under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and continue discussions on uranium enrichment and other issues related to Iran's civilian nuclear needs.
DiCarlo also highlighted growing concerns over the IAEA's ability to monitor Iran's nuclear activities.
Citing the secretary-general's latest report on Resolution 2231, she said the agency has not carried out in-field verification activities under Iran's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty safeguards and has reported a significant deterioration in its knowledge of Iran's nuclear program following US and Israeli strikes that began on Feb. 28.
"It had now lost continuity of knowledge across all of Iran’s declared nuclear facilities.
"This loss of continuity extended to the production and current inventory of centrifuges, rotors and bellows, heavy water and uranium ore concentrate. The Agency assessed that this knowledge could not be restored," she said.
Despite these challenges, DiCarlo stressed that diplomacy remains the best avenue for resolving the dispute.
"The United Nations stands ready to support these efforts," she said.
