Iran, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (12 March 2026)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: - Secretary-General/Türkiye - Middle East/Humanitarian - Iran - Lebanon/Humanitarian - Lebanon - Occupied Palestinian Territory - Sudan - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Financial Contribution - Briefing Tomorrow MIDDLE EAST/HUMANITARIAN Turning to the situation in the Middle East, our humanitarian colleagues remind us that the region is home to some of the largest numbers of people in need of humanitarian assistance globally. The recent escalation risks deepening civilian suffering and causing further damage to already fragile civilian infrastructure. According to UNHCR, more than 4.1 million people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon and Pakistan since the beginning of the escalation. Additionally, some 117,000 people have sought refuge in another country. It’s important to note these numbers are based on data provided to us by authorities. We and our humanitarian partners are continuing to provide humanitarian aid to people impacted across several countries and remain ready to ramp up our response in support of national authorities where needed. IRAN And just on Iran alone, our colleagues at UNHCR are telling us that between 600,000 and 1 million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside their country as a result of the ongoing conflict. This is a preliminary assessments, and that adds up to about 3.2 million people. UNHCR says that most of them are reportedly fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety. They say this figure is likely to continue to rise as hostilities persist, adding that, as you can imagine, it will just add another level of humanitarian needs. Also affected are refugee families hosted in Iran. Most of them are Afghans, who are particularly vulnerable, given their already precarious situation and limited support networks. UNHCR is adapting its response to these growing needs, working with national authorities and partners to assess emerging needs and strengthening preparedness as population movement increases. We join them in emphasizing the urgent need to protect civilians, to maintain humanitarian access, and ensure that borders remain open to those seeking safety, in line with country’s international obligations. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-03-12