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Shirin Ebadi to Asharq Al-Awsat: Military Spending in Yemen, Syria Spread Poverty in Iran

Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi. Reuters file photo
Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi. Reuters file photo
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Shirin Ebadi to Asharq Al-Awsat: Military Spending in Yemen, Syria Spread Poverty in Iran

Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi. Reuters file photo
Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi. Reuters file photo

Iranian Nobel Peace laureate and most famous human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi said that Iran's authorities continue to neglect the Iranian people despite the fact that they have declared their demands.

She stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the military spending in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon undermined the state budget and spread poverty in Iran.

Protests have shaken Iran for a week, and the majority of the Iranian nation is demanding a referendum because it is now aware that the current political structure, which is limited to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, can’t carry out reforms, according to Ebadi.

Speaking on the nature of protests and the way the authority dealt with protesters, Ebadi said that people took to the streets peacefully but were confronted by the police and security forces. “The government says up to 700 were arrested but I am certain that the number of detainees and casualties is much more than that,” she added.

This discrepancy in the number of casualties and detainees is attributed “to the conditions that prevent the press from performing their mission in following up the matter, and therefore the media can’t prepare precise reports. But what is for sure is that the number of detainees is high,” Ebadi added.

The Nobel Peace laureate asked Iran's police and the IRGC to drop their weapons and join protesters.

Iranians should stay on the street and the constitution gives them the right to protest, said Ebadi, calling on them to stop paying water, gas and electricity bills and taxes, and to withdraw their money from state-owned banks to exert economic pressure on the government, forcing it to stop the violence and meet their demands.

She said it is unlikely to have confidence in Iranian President Hassan Rouahni for holding security positions in the past 38 years, which means he is responsible for the deteriorating situation.

Commenting on the repercussions of the international community’s position on the national movement in Iran, Ebadi affirmed that human rights is an international concept that knows no boundaries, and any event in the world requires international stances.

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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Asharq al-Awsat that global hunger increased sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, noting that the GCC countries were able to shield themselves from major shocks affecting food security.
Laborde added that global hunger affected over 152 million people, with no improvement in the past two years.
Today, 733 million people suffer from chronic hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity, according to the UN annual report on “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.”

Laborde explained that the global economic crisis has worsened food insecurity, keeping hunger levels high.
Alongside this, climate shocks and conflicts are major causes of hunger. He also pointed out that food insecurity is closely tied to inequality, and the economic crisis, rising living costs, and high interest rates are deepening existing inequalities both within and between countries.
On whether economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is boosting food security, Laborde said: “A move towards a more diversified economy and enhancing the ability to rely on various sources of food supplies are key drivers of food security resilience and stability.”
“GCC countries have managed to shield themselves from major shocks, primarily due to their high income levels and ability to cover import costs without difficulty,” he explained.
Regarding the FAO’s outlook on reducing global hunger, Laborde insisted that ending hunger will require a significant increase in funding.
When asked for suggestions on how governments could enhance food security, Laborde said: “Despite global figures remaining stable, improvements are seen in Asia and Latin America, showing that the right policies and conditions can reduce numbers.”
“Hunger is not inevitable. Investing in social safety nets to protect the poor, along with making structural changes to food systems to be more environmentally friendly, resilient, and equitable, is the right path forward,” emphasized Laborde.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published on Wednesday, said about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023 – one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.
Hunger and food insecurity present critical challenges affecting millions globally.
The annual report, released this year during the G20 Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty Task Force ministerial meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is significantly lagging in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger by 2030.
It highlights that global progress has regressed by 15 years, with malnutrition levels comparable to those seen in 2008-2009.
Despite some progress in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, a troubling number of people still face food insecurity and malnutrition, with global hunger levels rising.