"The Secretary-General stressed the need to find a political solution to the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and sought Iran’s support in facilitating the resumption of peace talks for both countries," the UN statement read.
Ban said Tehran had to use its influence on the Syrian government and the opposition forces in Yemen and encourage them to engage in talks with rival forces in their respective countries "in a spirit of pragmatism and compromise."
The UN chief also emphasized to Rouhani the importance of implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the UN Security Council resolution on its nuclear program that were agreed last year.
On July 14, 2015, Iran the P5+1 group of countries, consisting of the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany, reached the JCPOA agreement to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. In mid-January, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified Tehran’s compliance with the agreement.
