Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Briefings
All right, good afternoon. A few programming notes for you:
We were supposed to have, as you know, the Deputy Secretary-General here to brief you on the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which is scheduled to start next week in Seville. We expect now that briefing to take place in the middle of the week but will confirm once we have the date.
Tomorrow, we do expect to have Jorge Moreira da Silva, who, as you know, is the Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services, otherwise known as UNOPS. He will join us virtually to brief on his trip to Myanmar. That will probably be at noon or earlier, but we will let you know.
**UN Charter
Today, at 5 p.m. [sic: 5:50 p.m.], the Secretary-General will deliver remarks at a ceremony to welcome home the original UN Charter, 80 years after it was adopted.
He will make remarks and point out that the Charter is more than parchment and ink; it is a promise of peace, a promise of dignity and cooperation among nations.
He will say that today, as our world faces age-old challenges, and newer threats like the climate crisis and runaway technology, we have the tools and the norms of international law to guide us, starting with that Charter.
**Office For Disarmament Affairs
Also, a quick announcement from our friends at the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA). Member States are gathering at the UN Headquarters this week, starting today until 27 June, for the Preparatory Meeting of States on the “Global Framework for Through-Life Conventional Ammunition Management”.
As you will recall, Member States in 2023 adopted the Global Framework which serves as an international instrument containing political commitments to prevent diversion, illicit trafficking and misuse of ammunition.
This week’s meeting offers an important opportunity to establish a robust and an effective follow-up and review mechanism to support the implementation of these political commitments.
**Syria
I will start off with a statement from the Secretary-General on the terrorist attacks we saw in Damascus over the weekend: The Secretary-General strongly condemns the terrorist attacks that took place on Sunday at the St. Elias Church in Damascus. He expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured.
The Secretary-General reiterates that all perpetrators of terrorism must be held accountable. He takes note that the Syrian interim authorities have condemned this attack and, after a preliminary investigation, attributed it to Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, ISIL. The Secretary-General calls for a full investigation.
The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to supporting the Syrian people in their pursuit of peace, of dignity and justice.
And I also note that Geir Pederson, out Special Envoy in Syria, also issued a statement on the same attack, and that statement was issued over the weekend.
**Iran
As you all saw, in yesterday’s Security Council meeting on Iran, the Secretary-General said that the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling. He warned that we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.
The Secretary-General told the Council that the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a cornerstone of international peace and security, and Iran must fully respect it. And all Member States must act in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law, including international humanitarian law.
In a statement over the weekend, the Secretary-General said that at this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos and reminded Council members that there is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy, and the only hope is peace, he said.
**Central African Republic
You will have seen that yesterday, we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack by unidentified armed elements on a convoy of UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic. The attack took place on 20 June. The attack resulted in the death of a peacekeeper from Zambia. He was 33 years old, and his name was Corporal Stephen Muloké Sachachoma. He was a member of the Zambian military continent deployed with the UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic.
A second peacekeeper from Zambia was also injured and is undergoing medical treatment.
The Secretary-General recalled that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. He called on the Central African authorities to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of this tragedy so that they can be brought swiftly to justice.
That statement was shared with you.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip: Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warn that conditions are deteriorating rapidly.
Yesterday, OCHA’s head of office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our colleague Jonathan Whittall, who is currently in Gaza, briefed journalists and warned of a pattern where people are being killed trying to reach food.
Mr. Whittall said that we are seeing carnage, we are seeing weaponized hunger, and we are seeing forced displacement and a death sentence for people who are just trying to survive. Mr. Whittall reiterated that we, along with our partners, have a humanitarian plan by which we could reach every family in Gaza, as we have in the past, but we have been continually prevented from doing so.
Over the weekend, telecommunications were restored across Gaza, after damaged fibre optic cables were repaired. For the first time in days, our teams have had more than 24 hours of relatively stable communication, something we’ve repeatedly said is essential to coordinate emergency relief and just to save lives.
But colleagues on the ground warn that without urgent fuel deliveries for the generators that power the telecommunications’ machinery, telecommunications may very well go down very soon.
Fuel is also needed to keep emergency rooms running, to keep ambulances running and to operate water desalination and pumping stations.
Right now, our teams on the ground are rationing what little fuel remains and working to retrieve stocks stored inside Gaza, in areas that are unfortunately hard to reach for us. Earlier today, one of our teams did manage to access fuel stored in Rafah, and we hope to have good news about that mission success tomorrow.
If successful, it would buy critical services a bit more time, but not much. OCHA stresses that the Israeli authorities need to facilitate movements of fuel in sufficient quantities into and throughout Gaza, including to and within the north, where fuel movements have been often denied.
You will recall that most of Gaza is in areas where our teams are required to coordinate every movement with the Israeli authorities. On Saturday and Sunday, we and our partners attempted to coordinate 16 humanitarian movements, but half of them were denied outright, hindering the trucking of water and fuel, the provision of nutrition services and the retrieval of bodies. Some efforts to remove solid waste and the movement of staff within Gaza, without delivering supplies, were facilitated by the Israeli authorities.
Meanwhile, most of Gaza remains under displacement orders. Just today, Israeli authorities issued another such directive, this time for two neighbourhoods in Khan Younis, including two hospitals, Al Amal and Nasser. While Israeli authorities have clarified the hospitals are not required to evacuate, OCHA says the designation is nonetheless hindering access to those critical facilities both for patients who need help and for medical staff who need to treat those patients.
**Lebanon
In Lebanon, our peacekeepers there have continued to observe Israel Defense Forces’ activities, including air strikes, in the area of operations. They have also observed Israeli Iron Dome interceptions targeting Iranian missiles and drones crossing the area of operations towards Israel.
Also, on 20 June, UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) discovered three unauthorized ammunition and weapon caches in the area of operations, containing mortar shells and rockets. The Lebanese Armed Forces were informed of those caches, and they intervened in all of those locations.
UNIFIL continues to encounter obstructions of movement in its area of operations in southern Lebanon, hampering implementation of its mandate.
Meanwhile, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, wrapped up his visit to the Middle East yesterday, having visited UNDOF, the UN Disengagement Observer Force on the Golan, as well as UNIFIL.
While in Lebanon, Mr. Lacroix met with Mission Leadership in Naqoura and visited UN peacekeepers, including along the Blue Line and with the Maritime Task Force that is operating offshore. He also discussed the current situation on the ground and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 with the Lebanese President, the Defence Minister, the Prime Minister and others. In Syria, Mr. Lacroix met with the interim President and interim ministers and discussed the Syrian interim authorities’ commitment to exercising their full security responsibilities throughout the Syrian territory, in accordance with relevant agreements and international law.
Throughout his trip, Mr. Lacroix stressed the importance of ensuring that both missions are fully supported and provided with the freedom of movement necessary to complete their mandated tasks. We hope to get Mr. Lacroix here to talk to you soon.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and another one of our senior officials, and that is Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator. He arrived today in the DRC for a four-day visit to meet the leaders of the country, as well as aid workers and communities impacted by the conflict in the eastern part of the country.
Today in Kinshasa, Mr. Fletcher held talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, and other senior officials. They discussed urgent humanitarian challenges facing the country, including displacement, access to vital aid and the protection of civilians in conflict-affected areas.
Mr. Fletcher commended the resilience of Congolese people and reiterated our commitment to work hand in hand with authorities and local partners to support the humanitarian response and to promote stability there.
**Sudan
Moving to Sudan, which continues to be an area of great worry for us, and we, of course, remain deeply concerned over the impact that severe funding cuts are having on the humanitarian response in that country.
Just one example of the severity these cuts have on our efforts to reach people in need, our colleagues at the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) tell us that significant shortfalls have forced the agency to withdraw from more than half of the 93 health facilities it had been supporting across Sudan.
While UNFPA and its partners continue to provide the much-needed services for reproductive health and protection, it has received just a quarter of the funding it needs for the year. Our colleagues warn that this major gap in resources is putting critical services and safe spaces for women and girls at risk.
We underscore once again the urgent need for sustained funding, as well as unhindered access, to address the worsening situation in Sudan, at a time when the needs area great.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that according to authorities, today in Kyiv, early morning strikes reportedly killed and injured civilians. Part of an apartment block was destroyed, and other residential buildings and university premises were damaged. Since Friday, authorities have reported at least 21 civilians killed and 120 injured, including children.
Civilian casualties and damage to homes were also reported in the regions of Chernihiv, Donetsk, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. An ambulance station was damaged in Odesa, and around 70,000 people were left without power in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia. Humanitarian organizations responded rapidly and delivered emergency shelter kits, hot meals and psychosocial support.
**Haiti
Turning to a difficult situation much closer to these shores, and that is Haiti: Our humanitarian colleagues said that they are concerned by the sharp rise in gender-based violence amid worsening insecurity and large-scale displacement.
Our humanitarian partners report more than 3,800 incidents of gender-based violence were reported between January and May of this year, the vast majority of them perpetrated by armed men. A sharp 41 per cent increase has been observed between April and May of this year alone, with cases rising from nearly 2,700 to more than 3,800 incidents in just one month, the vast majority affecting women and girls. Internally displaced people account for more than 60 per cent of survivors.
Rape remains the most commonly reported violation, representing nearly half of all cases, with half involving collective rape.
Most attacks occurred in homes and on the street, underscoring the extreme risks faced by women and girls as they just go about their daily lives.
The Centre department in Haiti recorded the sharpest increase, with over 50 per cent since April, closely linked to recent waves of displacement.
Our humanitarian partners are working to provide referrals, as well as medical and psychosocial support services. However, protection services remain critically underfunded, and access to care is severely limited. The $908 million 2025 Humanitarian Appeal and Response Plan is just 8 per cent funded, with $75 million in the bank. Without additional resources, the most vulnerable — especially women and children — will continue to pay the highest price.
**Security Council
I also want to flag that this morning, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the political mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Rosa Otunbayeva, briefed the Security Council, noting that upon the guidance of the Security Council, and based on the November 2023 Independent Assessment, the UN has sought to create a framework for more coherent, coordinated and structured engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto leaders. She said that based on our extensive outreach, Afghans across the country feel that they, and the country, would be in a far worse place without the presence and assistance of the international community.
Also briefing Council members was Joyce Msuya, our Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, who warned that funding cuts continue to hinder the humanitarian response, and that 420 health facilities have been forced to shut due to lack of funding, depriving more than 3 million Afghans of life-saving health services.
For her part, the Executive Director of UN-Women, Sima Bahous, said that the recent escalation in the Middle East, including in Iran, home to more than 3 million Afghan refugees, have intensified regional and global instability. All those remarks were shared with you.
**Climate in Asia
A quick report from WMO, the World Meteorological Organization, shows that Asia is currently warming twice as fast as the global average. This is fuelling more extreme weather and taking a heavy toll on the region’s economies, ecosystems and societies. That report is out.
**Internet Governance Forum
Also, today, the Internet Governance Forum starts in Lillestrøm, Norway, and it will bring together more than 7,000 participants from over 170 countries for discussions under the theme “Building Digital Governance Together”. Convened by the Secretary-General, the Internet Governance Forum is the world’s leading platform for open and inclusive dialogue on digital policy.
This session marks the twentieth anniversary of the Internet Governance Forum and discussions will contribute to the Global Digital Compact adopted by Member States last year.
Key topics include artificial intelligence, digital inclusion, online safety, data protection and closing the digital divide — especially for the 2.6 billion people who are still offline.
**Senior Personnel Appointment
A few appointments to share with you: Today, the Secretary-General, following consultation with the UN University (UNU), is appointing Aya Suzuki of Japan as the Senior Vice-Rector of the United Nations University.
She will succeed Sawako Shirahase of Japan, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication and her service.
Ms. Suzuki is a distinguished Japanese development economist whose main research interest is examining how developing countries can reduce poverty levels, with a particular focus on agricultural and industrial development.
**Resident Coordinators
Also, two new UN Resident Coordinators, Zia Choudhury of Bangladesh and Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa of Mongolia, took up their new assignments as UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana and in Kazakhstan, respectively.
Zia Choudhury brings over 25 years of experience in development and humanitarian action in roles across the UN and in non-governmental organizations. Prior to this appointment, he was as UN Resident Coordinator in Botswana.
Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa also brings 25 years of experience in sustainable development across Europe and Central Asia, marked by progressive leadership roles. Prior to this appointment, she served as Regional Adviser on Environment at the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). She held a number of other posts.
**International Days
A couple of international days for you.
This is an important one for me. Today is United Nations Public Service Day. This Day celebrates the value and virtue of public service to the community. And in his message, the Secretary-General says that public servants are the unsung architects of a better future.
Today is also International Widows’ Day. Widows have historically been left unseen and unsupported in our communities and societies. This Day is an opportunity for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for widows.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: Edie then Pam.
Question: Thank you, Steph. The Secretary-General has been pressing for a return to diplomacy to try and end the Israel-Iran conflict. Has he been making calls? Is the UN involved in any way in trying to pursue this?
Spokesman: He spent most of the morning speaking to his senior advisers in the region. When I have updates for you on other contacts, I will share them with you.
Question: Is he trying to promote a return…?
Spokesman: I mean, I think what he said and what he’s doing publicly and both privately is being supportive of any diplomatic efforts that can be restored. Pam?
Question: Thank you, Steph. You mentioned the Syria attack on the church in Damascus. The death toll is going up quite a bit. And as you know, Abu Khazra, newly appointed Defence Minister, is on the record saying Christians are not welcome in Syria. Do you think the new Government in Syria is doing enough for ethnic minorities? You said a statement, but for Druse, Christians, Alawites…
Spokesman: I think we’ve seen minorities in Syria being challenged. I think we’ve also seen the Government place a lot of efforts in reassuring those minorities. It is imperative for the interim authorities to ensure that all minorities, whether they be religious, ethnic, or others, feel welcome and have their voices heard in Syria.
Question: And just a follow-up on Edie’s question. Is there any country that this SG is pursuing or thinks could be a mediator in the US-Iran-Israel conflict? Russia has offered. France has offered.
Spokesman: Look. I think there are different countries that can offer different avenues of diplomacy. We’d seen Oman being very productive in that sense. And I think anyone that can help should help. Benno and then Dezhi.
Correspondent: Thank you, Stéphane. Thank you for your public service.
Spokesman: Thank you.
Question: US President Donald Trump floated the idea of regime change in Iran. Israel bombarded a prison today in Iran with political prisoners. Does the SG think that regime change… what’s his position?
Spokesman: Look. I mean, the Secretary-General stands against any unilateral force to that would make the situation in the region even worse. And I think he has condemned every escalation in this conflict. What we need to see is not more missiles going both ways or different ways. What we need to see is, as we said, a return to diplomacy.
Question: Would regime change make it worse?
Spokesman: I think any increased use of force outside of the bounds of international law would make it worse.
Question: Do you see the Iranian Government as legitimate representation of the Iranian people?
Spokesman: The issue of a Government’s representation within the United Nations is one that is for Member States to observe. For our part, we continue to deal with the Government in Iran, as we do with every other Government that is within these United Nations. Dezhi then Volodymyr.
Question: Yesterday, I asked Ambassador [Danny] Danon. I will ask you the same question. Does the UN think now it’s a safer place after the use of force by United States?
Spokesman: Say again?
Question: Is the Middle East a safer place after the US use of force?
Spokesman: The more we see unilateral use of force, the more we see violations of international law, the riskier the region gets.
Question: So, we know there’s this possibility that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz. What’s the position from the Secretary-General?
Spokesman: The Secretary-General, I think, is keen on making sure that freedom of navigation continues, whether it’s in the Straits of Hormuz, whether it’s in the Red Sea. It is critical for global stability, both political and economic.
Question: Sorry. Two programming questions. On the event that Secretary-General is attending today, it’s 5 p.m. or 5:50?
Spokesman: Why don’t you be there for 5? And that way, it starts at 5:15, you’ll be ready.
Correspondent: It’s another 50 minutes!
Spokesman: Fifteen or 50?
Correspondent: Fifty.
Spokesman: Okay. We will double check. I don’t want to waste your time. [He later said the time was 5:50 p.m.]
Question: Secondly, will there be any video service? Can we get the video of the statement from the Secretary-General there?
Spokesman: I think you will. Volodymyr?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Today, a Russian missile strike completely destroyed a secondary school in Belgorod Dnistrovskyi, Odesa region, killing and injuring civilians. This demonstrative attack seemed to be based on the belief that the world will remain silent while the tension is focused on the events in the Middle East. What would the UN Secretary-General say in order not to meet these expectations of silence?
Spokesman: Look. I think we have been very clear in condemning all attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, including and especially schools, and we will continue to do that. Almost every day, I speak about what is going on in Ukraine, because we can’t be complacent in forgetting crises that may not be at the top of the headlines globally. Just like every day, we talk about Gaza. We try to talk about Sudan every day. We try to talk about Ukraine every day. There’s a multiplication of crises in which civilians are in the front lines. Civilians are the ones being killed. Civilians are the ones being targeted, and we feel it’s our responsibility to keep those in the headlines. Yes, sir?
Question: Hi, Steph. So, the Indian Federal Home Minister, Amit Shah, told The Times of India in an interview on Saturday that it will “never restore the Indus water treaty with Pakistan”. Does the Secretary-General have any comments on this development?
Spokesman: I haven’t seen that particular quote, but, obviously, it is critical that natural resources be shared based on mutually accepted treaties. Sherwin and Stefano, then I’ll go all the way in the back.
Question: I was wavering as to whether to ask a question. In terms of the violations of the UN Charter, did the United States violate the UN Charter by attacking Iran?
Spokesman: What we have seen, is, in this conflict, I think, repeated challenges to international law and to the Charter.
Question: If I can follow up, the Secretary-General has been very explicit that Russia, by invading Ukraine, was in violation of the UN Charter. Why can you not explicitly say that the United States has violated Iran’s sovereignty, which is sacrosanct in terms of the Charter? It has attacked nuclear facilities in violation of the rule. It’s a yes or no question.
Spokesman: I think the answer is in the statements the Secretary-General has made. Stefano?
Correspondent: Well, I had the same question with the same follow-up. At this point…
Spokesman: Well, then, I’ll move on.
Question: Second follow-up is in this statement when Russia invaded Ukraine, it was very clear from the Secretary-General that there was a blunt violation of the UN Charter. For what you told us today also, what he say that the Security Council, he say, like, he’s worried about the UN Charter, concerned, things, but he’s not so blunt about the violation of the UN Charter. So, is the UN Charter, again, being violated by United States and Israel in attacking Iran or not?
Spokesman: I will leave you to read what the Secretary-General said, and I will leave your freedom to interpret and analyse it at will. Yes, sir, in the back and if you don’t mind introducing yourself, because I don’t think…
Question: Can you talk to us a little bit about tomorrow’s JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) meeting? It has a little bit of a new meaning, considering the events of the previous week. It was scheduled for tomorrow at the UNSC. I believe it’s the last one until it expires in October. What are your expectations with everything that is happening in the previous couple of days?
Spokesman: Well, I would say this is a regularly scheduled meeting. It is based on the schedule of the reporting of the Secretary-General. He reported to the Council last week. I would encourage you to look at that report. We continue to feel that JCPOA offered an important framework in terms of non-proliferation and in terms of monitoring Iran’s obligations. Miriam and then Alexi.
Question: Steph, reports just came out that Islamic Republic of Iran just started their attacks on in Al Udeid military base in Qatar. Any reaction to that? And also, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ambassador at the UN Security Council on Afghanistan just now warned that they are going to send back Afghan refugees from Iran if the attacks continue. Is UN ready for that new wave of refugee?
Spokesman: Again, you know, I think we’ve seen Afghan refugees continue to suffer in forced movement back to their homeland in ways that are challenging, to say the least. I haven’t seen the reports you mentioned. Obviously, any increase in the military activities, any continued retaliation, as the Secretary-General warned, just increases the destabilization and pushes us deeper into what he referred to yesterday, which is this rathole of retaliation. Okay. Yes. Go ahead, Pam.
Question: As of this morning, there was some sense it didn’t happen yet, but Iran is saying the Parliament is saying that they may get out of the NPT. I don’t think I heard you mention the NPT.
Spokesman: I mean, the Secretary-General has mentioned the NPT. We believe the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is obviously the bedrock of non-proliferation. I’m going to go to Abdelhamid, because I failed to call on him earlier, and then Alexei. Sorry.
Question: This was asked word for word by my colleague Sherwin, But I will ask it in different way, but I have also a question on Gaza first. Today, Israel kills at least 43 Palestinians in Gaza, including 20 aid seekers. So, since these number do not show in your daily report, I am obliged to keep repeating every single day what how many Palestinians killed, because they are humans and not just scores of Palestinian or number of Palestinian killed. So, that’s my first question.
Spokesman: Well, I’m not sure that’s a question, but I will refer you to what our colleague Jonathan Whittall said yesterday about the death traps and the condemnation of the way that humanitarian aid was being delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian [Foundation].
Question: Does the definition of the crime of aggression, which is mentioned clearly in Article 2.4 in the Charter, does it apply to what the US did in Iran?
Spokesman: I would refer you to what the Secretary-General has said and continues to say, whether as late or as recently as what he said in the Council yesterday. Alexei?
Question: Thanks so much, Steph. On UN personnel in the Middle East, especially in Qatar, have they remained in place or in Qatar or been moved?
Spokesman: I have not heard of any movement.
Question: Shelter in place order?
Spokesman: I honestly, I have to check. Yes, Miriam, and then Edie.
Question: Just one quick question. There are talks of, like, regime change in Iran. What does the Secretary-General thinks of regime change in Iran?
Spokesman: I would encourage you to just go back to the video. I answered that question from Benno earlier on. Edie?
Question: Steph, can we get an update on whether there are any bakeries or any food getting into the north in Gaza?
Spokesman: We’ll give you that update. Okay. Yes, madame?
Question: You may have said this before, so I apologize if I’m asking to ask you to repeat yourself. Have any UN personnel in, like, in Iran or have been have they been advised to evacuate?
Spokesman: We’ve taken the precautions we need with our staff in Iran.
Correspondent: Okay.
Spokesman: Okay. Thank you all.