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Top Three UNESCO Candidates Maintain Position After Second Round

UNESCO
UNESCO
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Top Three UNESCO Candidates Maintain Position After Second Round

UNESCO
UNESCO

Paris- The ranking of the top three candidates did not change in the second round of the UNESCO elections for a new director-general held Tuesday afternoon as Qatar’s candidate for the post of Director-General of the UN organization Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari remained in the lead with 20 votes out of the total 58 votes.

The second of four rounds of voting ended with the Egyptian candidate, Moushira Khattab nestling in third place with 12 votes.Her Qatari and French rivals garnered 20 and 13 ballots respectively, a statement from the organization on Tuesday revealed. In the first round, the Qatari, French, and Egyptian candidates got respectively 19, 13, and 11 votes.

Lebanese Candidate Vera El Khoury Lacoeuilhe received three votes, and Chinese candidate Qian Tang and Pham Sanh Chau of Vietnam garnered five votes each.

Polad Bulbuloglu from Azerbaijan retreated and did not compete in the second round while two other candidates are expected to retreat today, allowing the picture to become clearer.

Tuesday’s results were unexpected for the Lebanese candidate and contradicted with her team's expectations of getting additional votes (between two and three votes).

A representative of an Arab country told Asharq Al-Awsat that the United States and Britain voted in the first session in favor of Khoury Lacoeuilhe and not for the French candidate, which was also confirmed by French official sources.

Khattab said it was so far so good for her since she remains among the top three candidates for UNESCO’s top job.

According to her, the result would prompt Egypt into making the right steps required to pull off the ultimate victory in the run-off.

The winning candidate must obtain 30 votes, which did not occur in the first round but possible by a potential fifth round, which is to be held on Friday. The candidates who amassed the highest number of votes in the fourth round will compete in the fifth.

The new director-general of UNESCO will be named on October 13. Then, 195 members in the General Conference will be appointed in view of recommendations from UNESCO’s Executive Board.

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Iranians React to New Trump Travel Ban as Tensions are High Between Nations

Iranians walk next to an anti-US mural depicting Iran and the US negotiation table next to the former US embassy in a street in Tehran, Iran, 26 April 2025. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranians walk next to an anti-US mural depicting Iran and the US negotiation table next to the former US embassy in a street in Tehran, Iran, 26 April 2025. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
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Iranians React to New Trump Travel Ban as Tensions are High Between Nations

Iranians walk next to an anti-US mural depicting Iran and the US negotiation table next to the former US embassy in a street in Tehran, Iran, 26 April 2025. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranians walk next to an anti-US mural depicting Iran and the US negotiation table next to the former US embassy in a street in Tehran, Iran, 26 April 2025. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Iranians again face a US travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump, with the decision drawing anger, frustration and some shrugs given the decades of tensions between the countries.

Trump imposed a similar ban during his first term before withdrawing America unilaterally from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, under which Iran drastically limited its program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

But when he returned to the White House and began seeking a new deal with Iran, it saw the country’s rial currency improve and stocks rise, but worries have grown as its government appears poised to reject an initial American proposal.

The travel ban has further darkened that mood and led Iranians to fear Trump will lump the nations' 80 million people alongside of its theocratic government even after he's repeatedly praised them while seeking a deal.
“Now I understand that Trump is against all Iranians, and his attitude is not limited to the government,” said Asghar Nejati, a 31-year-old man working in a Tehran pharmacy.

Even in the years after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and subsequent US Embassy hostage crisis, Iranian students traveled to the US to attend universities. Between 2018 to 2024, an average of around 10,000 Iranian students went to the US annually.

Estimates suggest some 1 million Iranian-origin people live in the US today.

Mehrnoush Alipour, a 37-year-old graphic designer, said the nations could have better relations if they could speak to each other in softer tones.

“This is another foolish decision. Trump cannot reach his goals by imposing pressures on ordinary Iranians," she said. "The two nations can have better relations through openings, not restrictions.”

Bank teller Mahdieh Naderi said Trump was lashing out over his frustration efforts to reach ceasefires in the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Trump just expressed his anger about his failed plans,” Naderi said. “He is complaining about the Chinese and others who are living in the US, too
Some said interest in the US was already waning before the latest ban.

“Over the past years, two of my grandchildren went to Canada to continue their education there," said Mohammad Ali Niaraki, 75. "Iranians are not limited in immigration and they are not as interested to go to the US as they were decades ago. Iranians prefer Canada, as well as neighboring countries with flourishing economies.”

But others pointed out that high-ranking government officials have children living or working in the US, despite the tensions.

“It’s fine, but if he also kicks out the children of officials who live there it would be very nice,” said a man who just gave his name as Mehdi. “We can’t afford traveling to the US, almost 80% of us can’t. But if he kicks out those who are already there it would be much better.”

Tehran resident Mehri Soltani offered rare support for Trump’s decision.

“Those who have family members in the US, it’s their right to go, but a bunch of bad people and terrorists and murderers want to go there as well,” he said. “So his policy is correct. He’s doing the right thing.”