HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT NUMBER 11 DATE 29th March 2003

HIGHLIGHTS · In , approximately 10,000 Iranian demonstrated yesterday protesting against the war in . Demonstrations also occurred in other major cities of Iran for the same cause. · There are still no refugees at the border.

OVERALL HUMANITARIAN SITUATION · Yesterday a team from WHO, UNICEF, ICRC and UNHCR went to Nowsud to investigate rumours of refugees at the border, but found nobody. They also investigated rumours about injured people at the hospital in Paveh, but found nobody.

Highlights from Iranian Media, 28th March: (from UNIC) · Tens of thousands of people throughout Iran staged angry demonstrations after offering their Friday prayers during which they demanded an immediate end to the US-led attack against Iraq, according to Radio and TV reports. The demonstrators in Tehran carried placards condemning the United States and Britain for their “aggression” against Iraq and calling President Bush a “Dracula”, the reports said. Effigies of Bush and Blair as well as American and British flags were burnt at various places. 1,000 of the demonstrators went to the British Embassy in Tehran and demanded closing the embassy and cutting diplomatic ties.

· The Islamic Republic of Iran Radio, in its main political commentary programme this afternoon, said that massive popular demonstrations all over the world protesting the war against Iraq would have adverse political and economic consequences for Washington. Already, the commentator said the war had exposed the real designs of the US that, in turn, had given birth to a movement to boycott American-made products and this should cause some worry to the Americans.

· Meanwhile, Iran and Turkey have stressed the need for maintaining the territorial integrity of their common neighbour and called for urgent efforts to prevent a human tragedy, according to IRNA, the state-run news agency. The agency said Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told his Turkish counterpart, Abdollah Gul, that “Iran and Turkey share common concerns (regarding the Iraqi crisis)” and Mr. Gul agreed.

· In the southwestern Iranian port city of Abadan in the Khuzestan province, a security official denied, reports stating, that two US or British paratroopers had landed in the southern part of the province in the area called “Khur-e Dorag”.

CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS Nothing to report. SECURITY Nothing new to report; security situation along the border with Iraq is still quiet

ISSUES REQUIRING FOLLOW UP Nothing to report.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS · Anne Davis, OCHA, arrived in Tehran early this morning. Ms Davis will be posted in and will go there in the beginning of next week.

· A two-member team (Peter Ferguson and Esteban Sacco) from UNOPS have just arrived in Iran, and will open an office in Kermanshah. They will service the national staff that are still in Iraq, establish relationships with NGOs in the north and prepare for cross-border operations. Additional UNOPS staff are expected to arrive.

Prepared by: Marianne W. Hille Approved by: Siba Das