TEHRAN – Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has strongly criticized recent accusations made by the Zionist regime against UNRWA employees, calling it another malicious move in the regime's inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people.

Kanaani condemned the allegations as “baseless.”

He clarified that the charges, suggesting the involvement of some UNRWA employees in Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, were designed to justify the Zionist regime's restrictive actions against international humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Furthermore, the accusations aimed to absolve the regime of the massacre of around 150 staff members from these international institutions, including UNRWA, over the past 113 days.

Kanaani labeled the decisions of nine countries to cut their assistance to UNRWA based on the Zionist regime's allegations against the humanitarian activities of the agency as regrettable. He noted that such a response essentially implies acceptance of accusations made by the regime which itself is committing genocide against Palestinians.

Emphasizing UNRWA's humanitarian activities, Kanaani suggested that instead of suspending aid to UNRWA, it would be more appropriate for these countries to cease arms assistance to the Zionist regime and withdraw political support from its criminal leaders.

The spokesman concluded by calling on all freedom-seeking nations, especially Islamic nations, to unite against this injustice that is being carried out in Gaza right now. He urged the countries to follow the framework outlined in the final statement of the recent emergency meeting of Islamic country leaders, emphasizing the importance of meeting the needs of the oppressed people of Palestine. The collective effort aims to thwart the inhumane act designed to impose forced displacement and break the will of the people in the Gaza Strip.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) initiated an inquiry following Israel's claim that some of its staff were implicated in the October 7 attacks, a triggering event for the ongoing conflict. This move led ten Western nations to either withdraw or temporarily halt their funding for the agency, a development described by UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini as "shocking."

Lazzarini expressed concern about the potential impact on humanitarian efforts, particularly in Gaza, emphasizing the risk of widespread starvation. He urged countries that had suspended funding to reconsider their decisions. Responding to the funding suspension, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh highlighted significant political and humanitarian risks, especially given the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people. Al-Sheikh called for maximum support for the international organization, urging the countries to promptly reverse their decision.