New York: Senior UN officials have reiterated a call for urgent restraint in response to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, which are contributing to a broader regional crisis intensified by the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the deteriorating humanitarian situation facing Palestinian civilians.
According to EMM, UN agencies have jointly warned that further conflict in the region could lead to new displacements in an area already burdened by decades of instability. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported that military strikes have compelled people in both Iran and Israel to flee their homes, seeking safety from missile attacks. There have been reports of movement from Tehran and other parts of Iran, with some individuals crossing into neighboring countries. Meanwhile, Israeli citizens have been seeking refuge both within the country and abroad.
The conflict has intensified following Israeli airstrikes on multiple Iranian nuclear-related sites in the past week, including a centrifuge manufacturing workshop in Esfahan, as noted by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This marks the third such facility targeted recently, according to Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. Although the facility was under IAEA surveillance as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Grossi confirmed that there was no nuclear material at the site, thus avoiding immediate radiological consequences. However, he warned that continued attacks on nuclear infrastructure are severely undermining nuclear safety and security, with potential risks of a radiological release.
The IAEA has been monitoring damage to sites in Esfahan, Arak, Karaj, Natanz, and Tehran since the Israeli military campaign against Iran began on June 13. Updates have been provided regularly to the UN Security Council, which has yet to reach a consensus on a response. During an emergency meeting in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that further escalation could "ignite a fire no one can control."
This mounting regional crisis is occurring alongside the war in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions are continuously worsening. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), described the dire situation in Gaza during a speech at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul. He highlighted the severe impact of conflict, with over 55,000 deaths reported, most of whom are women and children. The territory, he said, is devastated, and the humanitarian aid mechanism is failing.
In the occupied West Bank, displacement and infrastructure destruction are altering demographics in Palestinian camps, threatening the prospect of a Palestinian State under the UN-backed two-State solution and affecting Palestinians' refugee status.
UNRWA itself has been heavily impacted, with at least 318 of its staff killed in Gaza since the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas and other militants. Despite these challenges, UNRWA continues to provide essential services, though its financial situation is critical. Lazzarini urged Member States to act swiftly to prevent further suffering and instability.
