Over 660,000 Displaced During Pandemic

FILE PHOTO: A general view of trucks carrying belongings of displaced Syrians, is pictured in the town of Sarmada in Idlib province, Syria, January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view of trucks carrying belongings of displaced Syrians, is pictured in the town of Sarmada in Idlib province, Syria, January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
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Over 660,000 Displaced During Pandemic

FILE PHOTO: A general view of trucks carrying belongings of displaced Syrians, is pictured in the town of Sarmada in Idlib province, Syria, January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view of trucks carrying belongings of displaced Syrians, is pictured in the town of Sarmada in Idlib province, Syria, January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

More than 660,000 people have been displaced from their homes in conflict zones around the world since March, despite a UN call for a global ceasefire during the coronavirus pandemic, a top international aid group said Friday.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said its figures showed that armed conflict around the world had continued during the pandemic, even as much of globe went into lockdown.

This was despite a call on March 23 by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a global ceasefire for the pandemic.

The NRC said a total of 661,000 people have been displaced in 19 countries since then, with the highest number by far in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"At a time when health experts tell us to stay at home, men with guns are forcing hundreds of thousands out of their homes and into extreme vulnerability," said the NRC's Secretary-General Jan Egeland.
"This not only hurts those who are forced to flee, it seriously undermines our joint efforts to combat the virus."

According to Agence France Presse, the NRC accused the UN Security Council of failing to show leadership to encourage peace talks.

"While people are being displaced and killed, powerful members of the UN Security Council squabble like children in a sandbox," Egeland said.

He called on world leaders to "rise to the occasion" and jointly push parties to put down their weapons and unite in protecting all communities from COVID-19.

"Now is not the time for kindergarten politics," he added.

The NRC said it was appealing to UN Security Council members to issue a "clear call" to warring parties to halt the conduct of hostilities and to "settle their conflicts through talks and allow for a systematic response to the pandemic."

In DR Congo alone, clashes between armed groups and the country's military forced 482,000 people to flee their homes, it said.

Meanwhile fighting in Yemen resulted in the displacement of 24,000 people since March 23.

Africa's Lake Chad region has also experienced a surge of displacement, the NRC said, with Chad and Niger worst affected.

Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Syria, Somalia and Myanmar all saw more than 10,000 people displaced in the same period, the group added.



Larijani Urges Trump to Define Economic Interests with Iran

Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 
Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 
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Larijani Urges Trump to Define Economic Interests with Iran

Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 
Larijani during a press interview (Tasnim) 

Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, warned that any attack on Iran “will not go unanswered” and called on former US President Donald Trump to “define economic interests with Iran.” His remarks came two days after he suggested that Tehran could reconsider its nuclear program in response to any American military strike.

On Sunday, Trump threatened Iran with an unprecedented military response and further economic pressure if it failed to reach an agreement with Washington to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Earlier, on March 7, Trump announced he had sent a letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, urging negotiations on a new nuclear deal or facing possible military action.

In response, Khamenei warned on Monday that the US would receive a “strong slap” if it acted on Trump’s threats.

Hours later, Larijani cautioned that continued pressure on Iran could push the country toward developing nuclear weapons. In an interview with state television, he said: “The Supreme Leader’s fatwa forbids nuclear weapons, but if the US makes a mistake, the Iranian people may demand their production.” He added that even “rational Americans” understood that attacking Iran would only accelerate its nuclear ambitions.

On Wednesday, Larijani shared part of his television interview on his X account, stating: “Mr. Trump is a talented businessman who has built significant wealth. The US can define economic interests with Iran.”

He continued: “Trump claims to seek peace, so he should not speak the language of threats and war. Any attack on Iran will have consequences. We have experienced military leaders ready to respond.”

Larijani previously served as Iran’s parliamentary speaker during negotiations for the 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted US sanctions in exchange for restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program. Western companies signed contracts with Iran following the agreement, but Khamenei later blocked economic cooperation with American firms.

“The catastrophic failures in our region, which cost previous US administrations more than $7 trillion, are proof that military intervention is not the answer,” Larijani added.

A day earlier, Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi said Tehran rejected direct talks with Washington due to “threats” and “bullying” by the US. “We do not negotiate under pressure, only as equals,” he said, without providing further details.

Iran has rolled back key commitments under the nuclear deal in two phases. The first began in May 2019, when Tehran announced a “gradual withdrawal” from the agreement. The second came under US President Joe Biden, who sought but failed to revive the deal.

In February 2021, Iran halted compliance with the Additional Protocol of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and began enriching uranium to 20%, later increasing it to 60% at its Fordow and Natanz facilities.

While Tehran insists its nuclear program is purely peaceful, Western powers argue there is no credible civilian justification for such high levels of uranium enrichment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has noted that no country has enriched uranium to these levels without ultimately developing nuclear weapons.