Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made the remarks during a meeting with UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher in New York on Saturday on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session.
The two officials discussed regional and international developments, humanitarian assistance in crisis-hit areas and avenues for cooperation between Iran and relevant UN bodies.
Araqchi highlighted Iran’s long-standing hosting of Afghan refugees despite the US economic war and sanctions, stressing the responsibility of international humanitarian organizations to assist Iran in this regard.
The Iranian foreign minister also drew attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the West Bank resulting from the Israeli regime’s genocide and crimes, as well as the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon due to continued Israeli attacks. He called for greater attention from the UN and international humanitarian organizations to these crises.
Araqchi noted that addressing humanitarian crises fundamentally requires tackling their root causes.
Fletcher, for his part, outlined major humanitarian situations around the world and reaffirmed the UN’s continued efforts to fulfill its humanitarian responsibilities.