GENEVA, March 12, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the Middle East war erupted nearly two weeks ago, the United Nations refugee agency said Thursday.

"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, representing up to 3.2 million people," said Ayaki Ito, who heads UNHCR's emergency support team and is refugee response coordinator for the Middle East emergency.

"This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs," he said in a statement.