Middle East war displaces three million inside Iran — UN

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GENEVA — Up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the Middle East war erupted, the United Nations refugee agency said Thursday.

"Between 600,000 and one million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict, according to preliminary assessments," said Ayaki Ito, who heads UNHCR's emergency support team and is the refugee response coordinator for the Middle East emergency.

That represents "up to 3.2 million people", he said in a statement, warning that "this figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs".

The United States and Israel launched the first wave of attacks on February 28 in a war that has seen Iran strike targets in multiple countries around the Gulf.

Ito said that most of those displaced were reportedly "fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety".

Refugee families hosted in the country, most of them Afghans, had also been affected, he said, warning that they were "particularly vulnerable, given their already precarious situation and limited support networks".

"Families are leaving affected areas amid rising insecurity and limited access to essential services," he said.

The UN refugee agency, which has had a longstanding presence in Iran, said it was "adapting its response to growing needs, working with national authorities and partners to assess emerging requirements and strengthen preparedness as population movements increase".

"UNHCR emphasises the urgent need to protect civilians, maintain humanitarian access, and ensure borders remain open to those seeking safety, in line with international obligations," Ito said.