On the 6th, Itou Ayaki, the UNHCR’s head of Emergency and Programme Support, stated that the escalating crisis in the Middle East has become a “major humanitarian emergency.”
At a regular press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, he said that the recent escalation of the situation in the Middle East and ongoing attacks have triggered population movements in Iran, neighboring countries, and the wider region. The affected region now holds as many as 25 million refugees.
He pointed out that, according to official Iranian figures, about 100,000 people left their homes in the first two days after the United States and Israel struck Iran, but this number is likely a significant underestimate.
Itou stated that UNHCR staff are working to provide humanitarian assistance to affected countries.
He called on the relevant parties to provide safe passages for people who need to relocate or cross borders.