THE UNITED NATIONS, January 9. /TASS/. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is encouraged by the signs that conflict between Iran and the United States is de-escalating, he wrote on his Twitter account.

"Peace is our most precious value. It is the product of hard work and we must never take it for granted," Guterres wrote. "I’m encouraged by signs that the escalating conflict in the Gulf may be subsiding. The world cannot afford another war."

Tensions around Iran flared up after the US launched a strike on Baghdad’s airport on January 3 killing General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force. On January 8, Iran retaliated by launching missile strikes on two military facilities in Iraq used by the United States. According to the Pentagon’s spokesperson, Al-Asad Air Base and the airport of Erbil were targeted.

US President Donald Trump addressed the nation at the White House on Wednesday saying that the US was ready to embrace peace with Iran and was hoping that Tehran would live in harmony with all states around the world. At the same time, Trump announced that new "punishing sanctions" would be imposed on Iran.

Iranian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi told TASS that Tehran’s revenge for Soleimani’s killing was completed and it was not planning any new military actions.