High-Level Political Forum, Iran & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right.
How are you? Good.
We were supposed to be joined by the head of the UN Development Program, Alexander the Crow and the High Commissioner for Refugee Baham Saleh to brief you on Afghanistan.
But unfortunately, they had to cancel due to a scheduling issue, but we'll try to reschedule it for a later date at some point.
Tomorrow, however, I will have guests and my guests will be Philippe Paulier, the Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs and Sahira Al Nahari, a young leader for the Sustainable Development Goals.
They will be here to brief you on the issues surrounding mental health and football is I think there are events scheduled later this week.
Meanwhile, this morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the opening of the ministerial segment at the high level political forum.
He told member states that we have made important progress on the 2030 agenda for the sustainable development goals.
He pointed to lower child and return mortality, greater access to social protection, safe drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and the Internet, faster declines in harmful practices like child marriage and exponential growth in renewable energy.
But Mr.
Gutierrez warned that our journey has faced some major setbacks in recent years and we're now entering the toughest stretch of our journey.
He said that the world is now far from meeting the SDG six with about 2.2 billion people still lacking safely managed drinking water and 3.5 billion lacking safely managed sanitation.
The Secretary-General added that artificial intelligence must reduce inequalities and mitigate the environmental impact and not multiply them.
And lastly, the Secretary-General said we need urgent action to close the SDG financing gap, which now stands at over 4 trillion annually.
In a statement we issued yesterday, the Secretary-General expresses deep concern at the serious escalation, renewed military confrontation in the Gulf region, including Iranian attacks on ships on the Strait of Hormuz, attacks by the United States on the Islamic Republic of Iran and attacks by Iran on targets in neighboring countries.
These attacks must all stop, he said, Mr.
Gutierrez calls on the parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to, in fact, de escalate.
The Secretary-General reiterates that a return to full scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences for the people of the region, for the international peace and security, and for the global economy.
He further reaffirms the need for the restoration of the full freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, The Secretary-General urges Iran and the United States to urgently resume negotiations and to address outstanding issues through diplomacy.
Speaking of diplomacy, I can confirm that on his first visit to Iran, the officer in charge of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jean Arnaux met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abs Araksi.
Mr.
Arnauld outlined the UN efforts on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 and his understanding of the challenges ahead.
He sought to views of Iran on the situation and the support that countries in the region can provide to the Lebanese aspirations to peace, to sovereignty, and to territorial integrity.
I also want to add that you saw over the weekend the Secretary-General issued a statement expressing his deep sadness at the passing of the former Emir of Qatar, whom he called a visionary and transformative leader for his country.
The Secretary-General obviously extends his the condolences to the family of the former Emir, the people, and the government of Qatar.
In turning to Yemen, in light of heightened regional tensions, we're closely following recent developments related to Yemeni airspace and airports.
The Secretary-General special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg has expressed deep concern over the risk of a wider regional escalation and its potential consequences for Yemen.
Mr.
Grundberg is actively engaging with all actors and his office has been in contact with military representatives from all sides.
We urge the parties to de escalate and refrain from any action that would risk a new cycle of violence in Yemen.
We call on the parties to engage in dialogue and negotiations under the United Nations auspices to find a way forward that preserves the relative calm Yemen has experienced since 2022 and advance efforts towards sustainable and peaceful resolution of this conflict.
Separately this afternoon, the Security Council will meet for a briefing on Yemen.
They will hear from Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East European and the Americas, Kleiri as well as Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Indriq Rtwate.
That will be this afternoon.
We'll share remarks as they become available.
Turning to the situation in Southern Lebanon, our UNFL peacekeepers continue to report violations of Security Council resolution 1701, including repeated violations of Lebanese airspace.
Yesterday alone, peacekeepers detected 27 airspace violations with high intensity aerial activities and observed along the coastal line near Al Mansuri.
In two instances, peacekeepers reported armed drones departing from Al Bayada Hill and releasing grenades.
UNIFIL recorded 12 projectile trajectories attributed to Israeli defense forces.
Also, yesterday, two Israeli tanks halted at the gate of a UN position in Bleda in Sector East and fired some 30 rounds of small arms fire before withdrawing.
Peacekeepers continue to face restrictions on their freedom of movement as well, which remains, of course, unacceptable and obviously hampers the mission's ability to fulfill its mandate given to it by the Security Council.
On Friday, another Israeli tank physically blocked the path of a UN convoy in sector East.
UNIFIL personnel have in recent days discovered and mitigated multiple explosive hazards and ordinances threats in their area of operations.
On Friday, an uncrew aerial vehicle impacted the ground near Kar Ka in sector East prompting the immediate deployment of a UNIFIL explosive ordinance team to neutralize the resulting unexploded engine.
Yesterday, UNIFIL personnel safely disposed of 4,600 kilograms of liquid explosives, which translates to about 4.6 metric tons that had previously been discovered and stored in Gerry cans.
Despite these challenges, UNIFIL facilitated two humanitarian missions in Sector West and Sector East in coordination with OCHA.
That took place Friday after the briefing, I assume.
Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, our deputy Special coordinator For the Middle East peace process and resident humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Akbaov yesterday condemned the recent obstruction of humanitarian operations by the de facto authorities in Gaza.
Doctor Alekbaov said that these actions have endangered humanitarian personnel, intimidated workers, delivering lifesaving food assistance, and disrupting lifesaving humanitarian operations.
Noted that on Saturday, humanitarian workers were forced to halt food distribution after armed personnel with the de facto authorities forcibly entered food distribution points in Jabala in North Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Food and Agricultural Organization tells us it was last permitted to bring animal feed into Gaza on June 4th.
Since early February, the prices of animal feed in the local markets have doubled or even tripled That depends on the type of feed that people are looking for.
That has, of course, undermined recent successes achieved by FAO decreasing livestock mortality and increasing the numbers of goat and sheep that are in Gaza.
To protect livestock and strengthen local food availability, humanitarians are calling for renewed access for animal feed imports and for the full and unrestricted entry of essential agricultural supplies by the private sector and aid community.
Turning to the West Bank, OCHA reports that today 20-year-old Palestinian trying to cross the Israeli barrier in Nabala area into East Jerusalem, apparently in search of job opportunities was shot and killed.
Since October 2023, the humanitarian community in the occupied Palestinian territories documented the killing of 20 Palestinians and the injury of more than 290 others who were reportedly attempting to cross the barrier as of June 6th.
Palestinians must always be protected and in law enforcement context, the use of lethal force must always be a last resort.
Um, turning to climate, and our friend Tom Fletcher, the emergency relief coordinator released a statement earlier today on El Nino, noting that the climate phenomenon is back and is expected to bring extreme heat, droughts and floods across Latin America, Eastern and Southern Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
The emergency relief coordinator warned that this comes as many countries are already facing conflict, displacement, high fuel, fertilizer and food prices, and at the same time, the humanitarian system is facing a deep financial crisis.
He said the humanitarian community is acting now to reduce the impact, and we're ready to disburse up to $100 million from the central emergency response fund to support anticipatory action, building on more than $20 million already allocated in six countries.
Mr.
Fletcher called for early for flexible funding to match the scale of the risk and for the world to prioritize conflict resolution and support those forced to flee and for braver climate action.
The statement was shared with you.
On Venezuela, our OCHA colleagues tell us that we, along with our humanitarian partners, continue to deliver aid and scale up response in the areas most impacted by the earthquakes in that country.
Efforts remain focused on addressing urgent humanitarian needs such as shelter, food, water, and various protection services.
The UN Population Fund has strengthened gender based violence prevention in camps reaching more than 900 people various awareness raising activities.
In addition, UNFPA and UNHTR providing psychosocial support while UNICEF is providing psychosocial support to children and adolescents.
The International Organization for Migration, for its part has enhanced its work on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse.
We along with our partners are also supporting the transition towards early recovery and restoring essential services to the people in Venezuela impacted by the earthquakes.
We are also monitoring the impact of heavy rainfall associated with a new tropical wave which has caused flooding in parts of the states of Apure and Portuguese and Amazonas, creating additional humanitarian needs on top of what already exists.
In Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that intense drone missile and glide bomb attacks over the weekend killed and injured civilians and damaged schools, energy, and port infrastructure.
The regions of Done, Sumi, Japarta were hardest hit.
Chernohv, Nypro, Kharkiv, Karskv, and Odessa were also impacted.
In Odessa, attacks damaged hospitals and port infrastructure, WFP warns that continued strikes on Black Sea ports could disrupt Ukraine grains export and increase global food insecurity.
Humanitarian organizations responded rapidly in the Sumi Ky Odessa regions, providing emergency shelter materials, hot meals, psychosocial support, and emergency repair to various facilities.
Despite continued insecurity, we, along with our partners continue to deliver lifesaving assistance to frontline communities on July 10th, interagency convoy reached the town of Antanvk on the outskirts of Kerson with food hygiene supplies, emergency shelter for residents affected by the fighting.
So far this year, we and our partners have organized 27 humanitarian convoys reaching more than 21,000 people in frontline areas.
I just want to flag a report by UNICEF highlighting that child food nutrition insecurity is one of the primary drivers putting 3.7 million children under the age of five in Afghanistan at increased risk of undernutrition.
The report comes as Afghanistan enters a peak wasting season with recent data showing that wasting has worsened across 26 of the country's 34 provinces compared with 2025.
Wasting is an acute and potentially life threatening form of malnutrition.
UNICEF noted that this deterioration is occurring before the July September peak period, signaling an early and deepening crisis.
Children under two are disproportionately impacted, accounting for 83% of severe acute malnutrition and 77% of moderate acute malnutrition.
More information online, and as part of the events taking place alongside the high level political forum, the second Global Higher Education symposium will be held today at 1:00 P.M.
At UN headquarters.
The event will launch the consensus statement on unique position of higher education in pursuit of solutions, develop to inform the global discussion on the role of higher education to shape just and sustainable future.
It's being organized by the UN Academic Impact, which is part of the Department of Global Communications in partnership with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the International Association of Universities, UNESCO, and others, Adla and then Gabriel.
Um, Steph, I guess you've seen the news that, you know, US Secretary of State Marco Rubi wants to dismantle the ICC.
Does the SG have anything to say? While the ICC, um, is an organization that is separate from the Secretariat and the UN, it remains for us a critical cog in the international justice system.
It is supported by a vast number of member states, and it helps bring accountability for serious crimes.
Um, Bola Gabriel.
Thanks, Steph.
A couple of questions.
The first one is a follow up to Adla's question.
In the Wall Street Journal editorial by Marco Rubio, he said, or he wrote that he framed it as sovereign states over globalism and called international law a self appointed priesthood.
Does the Secretary-General accept that characterization of the system the UN charter is built on? International law, the The Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, were created by sovereign member states and they have brought protection.
They have brought relief to millions of people.
They are, as the Secretary-General has often said, under threat and under attack.
And what would the Secretary-General message be to any countries that are going to be pressured by the United States to pull out of the ICC? Countries will have to make their own member states will make their own decisions.
I think our position on the International Criminal Court and its importance, I answered in I answered AD la.
One more, if I may, Steph, on a separate topic.
The president of the United States has said today that he plans to reinstate a 20% fee on all ships in the Gulf, in the Strait of Hormuz, I'm sorry.
We've seen this before.
Who knows what's going to happen.
My question to you is Does the Secretary-General accept the premise that any member state can impose a fee on cargo in and out of the strait? Look, I think as you rightly point out, we've seen a lot of rhetoric around the Strait of Hormuz.
Throughout this crisis, the Secretary-General position has been consistent.
He wants to see freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and we said that as late as yesterday.
Georgia and then Abdahaed Thank you, Stephan.
Yesterday, the Independent published some details of the alleged Secretary-General and his personal envoy plan for the solution of Cyrus question.
My question is whether this corresponds to the actual Secretary-General plan partly or wholly.
Do you have any other information to share on that? I understand your interest and curiosity in the story published by the independent.
We've obviously seen it, we've read the story.
The Secretary-General and his personal envoy, Maria Olgdmain committed to supporting the leaders in Cyprus towards a resumption of the negotiations.
More questions.
You may.
Secretary-General had a phone call yesterday with the president of the EU Commission, Nursa Von der Leyen.
Was Cyprus part of the discussion? Yes, it was.
Abdul Hamid.
Thank you, Steph.
Going back to the statement by Ramz Al Akbarov, he talks about these kind of militias, but he didn't specify who is arming them, whom they're working for, why they are designated to attack convoys and humanitarian points for distribution.
Is that a repetition of the ser Abu Shaabli he talked about the de facto authorities.
In Gaza.
That's who he was referring to.
He wasn't referring to various armed militias.
He was referring you should read his statement.
He was referring to the he was referring to the de facto authorities who were in control.
Which means Israel.
That's what I want to understand.
No, I think it does not mean Israel.
I would take it as meaning Hamas.
Sinan.
Thank you, Sh.
I have a question regarding the immigrants and asylum seekers rights.
According to credible reports, there have been violations in ICE custodies and deaths in the US, mass Afghan deportations from Pakistan, over 50,000 deportation in South Africa, a Kurdish actors died in Japanese police custody, and his name is Murachick and Egyptian immigrants in the Italian custody, more and more Does the Secretary-General believe independent UN backed oversight of detention facilities needed or will he call for one? In addition, maybe you can tell me what's his reaction and what's his message to those governments? I mean, we have seen over the past years horrific reports of migrants, asylum seekers being held in horrific detention? Dying in detention, having their dignity violated, their rights violated, and it's happened in Libya, it's happened in the US, it's happened in various European places.
It's happened all over the world, right? For the Secretary-General, what is clear is that Every migrant, every asylum seeker has a right to be treated with dignity, has a right to be treated with respect to international law.
When it comes to asylum seekers, there are very clear policies when it comes to the Refugee Convention.
There is no broad UN mandate to inspect these facilities.
The primary responsibility for the respect and upholding of of basic rights belongs to the states.
They have to uphold those laws.
They have to have the mechanisms in place.
Obviously, in different places.
There are sometimes UN involvement through various UN agencies.
But all of these reports are truly shocking and very disturbing.
Abu Sufyan, Abu Sufian, I can't hear you.
You're muted.
Okay.
Sorry.
Thank you, Steph for doing this.
According to DW report, more than 20 people were killed in Pakistan, administrated Kshwit.
Pakistani forces shooting people in peaceful protest.
Does UN Secretary-General aware of it? And what is his comment on that? I personally haven't seen those reports, but we will look into it for you.
Okay.
Thank you all for coming on this beautiful Monday.
Asana.