UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to defuse tensions and offered to help broker a solution if both sides agree to UN mediation.

The two countries have been locked in a diplomatic clash following a suicide attack on February 14 in occupied Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel, triggering counter-operations by Indian forces in the area.

“We are deeply concerned at the increasing tensions between the two countries,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Guterres “stresses the importance of both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps” to de-escalate, while also offering to mediate “should both sides ask,” said Dujarric.