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OHCHR - Media Stakeout: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - 06 March 2026
STORY: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk remarks on the Middle East crisis
Volker Türk UN Human Rights made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.
“The world urgently needs to see steps to contain and extinguish this blaze – but we are only seeing more inflammatory, bellicose rhetoric, more bombings, more destruction, killings and escalation, only fueling it further. Confusion has also been sown around international law – and some have openly derided the fundamental values of our common humanity,” Türk said.
“I urge the States involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate – to give peace a chance. And on other States to call clearly on those involved to pull back. Cool heads must prevail if we are to prevent further terror and devastation for civilians,”
“Lebanon is becoming a key flashpoint. I am extremely worried about the latest developments following Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and Israel’s heavy counterstrikes, as well as its extensive displacement orders that have already forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.”
“Given the magnitude of this crisis, I call on Heads of State and Government around the world unequivocally to commit to defending international human rights law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter itself – we cannot afford for more powder kegs to ignite.”
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact
In Geneva:
Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
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STORY: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk remarks on the Middle East crisis
TRT: 02:47
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 6 March 2026 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
- Interior shot: Stake out position Assembly Hall
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, High Commissioner for UN Human Rights (OHCHR): “The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world.”
- Cut aways: Stake out position Assembly Hall
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, High Commissioner for UN Human Rights (OHCHR): “The world urgently needs to see steps to contain and extinguish this blaze – but we are only seeing more inflammatory, bellicose rhetoric, more bombings, more destruction, killings and escalation, only fueling it further. Confusion has also been sown around international law – and some have openly derided the fundamental values of our common humanity.”
- Cut aways: Stake out position Assembly Hall
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, High Commissioner for UN Human Rights (OHCHR): “I urge the States involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate – to give peace a chance. And on other States to call clearly on those involved to pull back. Cool heads must prevail if we are to prevent further terror and devastation for civilians.”
- Cut aways: Stake out position Assembly Hall
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, High Commissioner for UN Human Rights (OHCHR): “Lebanon is becoming a key flashpoint. I am extremely worried about the latest developments following Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and Israel’s heavy counterstrikes, as well as its extensive displacement orders that have already forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.”
- Cut aways: Stake out position Assembly Hall
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, High Commissioner for UN Human Rights (OHCHR): “Given the magnitude of this crisis, I call on Heads of State and Government around the world unequivocally to commit to defending international human rights law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter itself – we cannot afford for more powder kegs to ignite.”
- Cut aways: Stake out position Assembly Hall
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