TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian foreign ministry expressed pleasure in the election of Antonio Guterres as the next secretary-general of the United Nations, and urged him to revive the crucial role that the UN should play in the solution of the world's current problems.

"Mr. Guterres is taking this post from his predecessor under such conditions that global peace and security is under serious threat by abundant crises," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Saturday.

Expressing the hope that Guterres would be able to take more steps to restore the rights of the developing nations, he warned that inability to settle the global crises through collective efforts and cooperation under the UN supervision can lead to further unsolvable problems and crises in the world.

"We hope that the new UN secretary-general can retrieve the international organization's lost role on the global scene with firm resolve and tireless efforts," Qassemi added.

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Guterres was officially appointed as the next UN secretary-general.

He will become the world's top diplomat on 1 January when Ban Ki-moon's second five-year term ends.

Guterres, 67, who led the UN refugee agency UNHCR for 10 years, was chosen from among 13 candidates last week.

He said that ending the war in Syria would be his biggest challenge.

By Fars News Agency