UNITED NATIONS - Former UN chief Javier Perez de Cuellar died Wednesday in Lima, the capital of his native country Peru, his son told local media.

Perez de Cuellar served as UN secretary-general from 1982 to 1991, leading the world body during the Iran-Iraq war.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday night expressed sorrow at the death of Perez de Cuellar.

"I am profoundly saddened at the passing of my predecessor, Javier Perez de Cuellar," Guterres said in a statement, praising him to be an "accomplished statesman, a committed diplomat and a personal inspiration."

"Mr. Perez de Cuellar's life spanned not only a century but also the entire history of the United Nations, dating back to his participation in the first meeting of the General Assembly in 1946," said the UN chief.

Perez de Cuellar "played a crucial role in a number of diplomatic successes," including the independence of Namibia, an end to the Iran-Iraq War, the release of American hostages held in Lebanon, the peace accord in Cambodia and, in his very last days in office, a historic peace agreement in El Salvador, Guterres recalled.

In January, Guterres sent greetings to Perez de Cuellar for his 100th birthday.