Iranian refugees stand with their belongings after crossing the border from Iran to Armenia at a border check point in the southern Armenian town of Meghri, on March 9, 2026, amid the Middle East war. KAREN MINASYAN / AFP
Up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the Middle East war erupted, the United Nations refugee agency said Thursday, March 12.
"Between 600,000 and one million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict, according to preliminary assessments," said Ayaki Ito, who heads UNHCR's emergency support team and is the refugee response coordinator for the Middle East emergency.
That represents "up to 3.2 million people", he said in a statement, warning that "this figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs."
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