WHO Chief expresses support for Iran-Israel ceasefire

(MENAFN) The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed support for the recent ceasefire between Israel and Iran, while also confirming damage to healthcare systems in both countries and emphasizing the agency’s role in nuclear emergency preparedness.

"WHO welcomes the ceasefire agreed between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we hope it holds," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a press briefing in Geneva on Friday.

According to the WHO chief, Iran has reported over 600 fatalities and 5,000 injuries, while Israel recorded 28 deaths and more than 3,200 injuries during the most recent hostilities. Between June 13 and June 25, the organization verified 14 assaults on healthcare services—five in Iran and nine in Israel—resulting in casualties among medical personnel and disruptions in the delivery of care.

Tedros affirmed the organization’s ongoing collaboration with both countries, including surveillance of radiological and nuclear risks. He also spotlighted WHO’s involvement in a nuclear emergency simulation conducted this week by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The exercise was designed to assess readiness and identify areas needing improvement.

In addition to regional developments, Tedros commented on global health matters, particularly the continuing impact of COVID-19. He stressed that the virus "continues to evolve, it continues to kill, and millions of people continue to live with post-COVID-19 condition, or long-COVID."

He announced the publication of a new report from the WHO's Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), though he noted that progress remains hampered by limited access to critical data—especially from China.

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