TEHRAN — United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke over the phone with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday.

According to the Foreign Ministry readout of the conversation, the two sides mainly discussed the ceasefire in Yemen and the Vienna talks intended to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

At the beginning of the conversation, the UN secretary general congratulated the establishment of a ceasefire in Yemen and stated that this is a “common victory” that has been achieved as a result of the efforts of all parties.

Expressing satisfaction with the establishment of ceasefire in Yemen and thanking the UN chief for his role in this regard, the Iranian foreign minister stressed that now is the time to take fundamental steps towards building peace and stability in Yemen, especially a complete lifting of inhumane sanctions on the country.

Reiterating Iran’s continued support for resolving the crisis in Yemen and the conclusion of the war in the country through dialogue, Amir Abdollahian stressed that Tehran hopes that the siege on the Yemeni people will fully lifted at the same time as the ceasefire is established.

Amir Abdollahian also stressed the importance of sending humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people.

He also welcomed the visit of Hans Grundberg, special envoy of the UN secretary general for Yemen to the region.

Amir Abdollahian also referred to the UN Security Council's agenda for issuing two separate statements on Yemen.
 
“We welcome that, but another statement that is unilateral, without considering the Saudi attacks on Yemen and condemning the National Salvation Government, is unconstructive,” Amir Abdollahian told Guterres. 

 The United Nations said all sides in Yemen’s seven-year war agreed to a two-month truce starting on Saturday, a move greatly welcomed by Iran.
The truce marks a breakthrough in efforts to ease a conflict that has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Yemen, the poorest Arab country.

The ball is in U.S. court

Elsewhere in the conversation, Iran’s top diplomat and the UN chief discussed the ongoing talks in Vienna intended to remove the sanctions imposed on Iran.

“We are close to an agreement in the negotiations and we have conveyed our proposals on the remaining issues to the United States through the senior EU negotiator, Mr. Mora,” Amir Abdollahian said. 

He then went on to reiterate that the ball is now in America's court.

Meanwhile, Guterres stressed the importance of the ongoing talks in Vienna and expressed hope that the parties would reach an agreement as soon as possible.

Mora held talks with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani and Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian in Tehran on March 27. Both Bagheri Kani and Amir Abdollahian told the European Union’s coordinator that the revival of the nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, is within reach if the United States shows pragmatism.

“If the American side be pragmatic, it is possible to reach agreement,” Bagheri Kani said.

Mora also presented a report about his latest talks with other partners in the nuclear talks, which includes the European trio (France, Germany and Britain), Russia, China, and the United States.

Before his visit to Tehran, Mora said efforts should be made to try to close “the remaining gaps” in the Vienna talks. “We must conclude this negotiation. Much is at stake,” Mora wrote on Twitter.

Guterres and Amir Abdollahian discuss Ukraine, Afghanistan

The Iranian foreign minister and Guterres as the world’s chief diplomat also exchanged views on other thorny international issues, including Afghanistan and Ukraine.

In conclusion, the UN chief congratulated the holy month of Ramadan, saying that the UN is trying to start a program called "Ramadan Solidarity Initiative" with the aim of establishing peace and humanitarian actions.