Middle East, UNIFIL & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (2 March 2026) | United Nations

Описание: Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Iran
Iran/UN Agencies
International Atomic Energy Agency
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Sudan
South Sudan
Afghanistan/Pakistan
Haiti
Financial Contribution

IRAN
Over the past 48 hours the Secretary-General has been in touch with a number of regional leaders. Just a few minutes ago, he spoke by phone with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar.

The Secretary-General reiterated his condemnation of the recent attacks against Qatar, which is in violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also reaffirmed Qatar’s role as a strong and valued partner of the United Nations.

The Secretary-General and the Amir discussed the situation in the region and the urgent need to end the current military escalation and return to dialogue in the interest of regional stability.

Over the weekend, he also spoke with the Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi. The Secretary-General praised Oman for its efforts on mediating a peaceful negotiations, and reiterated his condemnation of the attacks against Iran and the Iranian attacks on Gulf countries. The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister expressed concerns about the risks posed by this war for the region.

The Secretary-General also, over the weekend, had a number of conversations with ambassadors from the Gulf Cooperation Council, and we will keep you update on further contacts he may have.

As far as the situation on the ground, the position expressed by the Secretary-General on Saturday in the Security Council remains very much valid. What is needed now in the region more than anything is a way out. To that end, the Secretary-General again calls for de-escalation, an immediate cessation of hostilities, and genuine dialogue and negotiations, in line with the Charter of the United Nations.

The risk of a humanitarian fallout in the region is also growing fast. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in touch with various UN teams in the region and is ready to respond swiftly as needed.

The Secretary-General is particularly concerned about the growing number of civilians we are seeing being killed and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. International humanitarian law is clear – civilians must be protected at all times, and civilian infrastructure must be protected as well.

The expansion of attacks to countries that were not involved in the initial attacks is, according to the Secretary-General, particularly worrying. Whether we are talking about Gulf countries, Jordan, Syria or Lebanon.

In Lebanon, where the UN has both, a political and peacekeeping presences, tensions are also rising. The UN is seriously concerned about the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line. The situation on the ground is evolving rapidly, and we are monitoring developments closely.

The UN is also aware of the strikes aimed at Israel claimed by Hizbullah and the Israeli strikes that have reportedly resulted in 31 fatalities and many more injured north of the Blue Line in Lebanon.

The UN urges utmost restraint and call on the parties to uphold the cessation of hostilities agreement. Both, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Abagnara, are engaging with the parties to de-escalate and preserve stability across de Blue Line. UNIFIL peacekeepers there are remaining in position despite the challenging circumstances.

The UN is also worried about the negative impacts that the military activities in the region as a whole could have on the world economy, and those impacts, as they often do, hit the most vulnerable the hardest.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon...