New Zealand Applauds US-Iran Ceasefire, Calls for Continued Peace Efforts

(MENAFN) Winston Peters on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, while stressing that substantial work remains to achieve a lasting resolution, according to reports.

In a post on the social platform X, Peters said, "While this is encouraging news, there remains significant important work to be done in the coming days to secure a lasting ceasefire."

The ceasefire follows US President Donald Trump’s statement on Tuesday that Washington would "suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

Shehbaz Sharif, who played a central role in negotiating the agreement, announced on X that delegations from both Tehran and Washington have been invited to Islamabad on Friday to continue discussions.

Peters also praised Pakistan’s mediation, along with contributions from regional partners such as Türkiye and Egypt, for their efforts in seeking a resolution to the crisis.

Earlier, Peters met with Marco Rubio in Washington, DC to review bilateral relations, the ongoing conflict in Iran, and collaboration on critical minerals supply chains. He said, "As we discussed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio today, this conflict has had wide-ranging impacts and disruptions - for both those in the Middle East and further afield, including in New Zealand and the Pacific region."

Reaffirming New Zealand’s stance, Peters added that his country will continue to support all initiatives aimed at achieving a "lasting, durable end" to the conflict.

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