U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for continued dialogue between the United States and Iran after talks hosted by Pakistan ended without an agreement, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday (April 13).

Dujarric told reporters the discussions in Islamabad were a "positive and meaningful step" toward renewed diplomacy despite deep differences between the parties.

He said Guterres also urged all sides in the Middle East conflict to respect a ceasefire and end violations, while thanking Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey for mediation efforts.

The secretary-general stressed that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be upheld under international law, Dujarric said.

About 20,000 seafarers remain stranded on ships because of the conflict, with worsening hardship, he said.

Disruptions to maritime trade through the strait have increased global economic insecurity and harmed agriculture by interrupting fertilizer supplies, Dujarric added.

-Roselle Chen/Reuters