UN Jan `15th, 2026: Press Corps Pushes for Clarity on Iran, Gaza as Guterres Opens Final-Year Drive

By ATN News Team

UNHQ, New York: The United Nations moved Thursday to frame Secretary-General António Guterres’ final year in office as a moment of urgency and reform, even as the organization’s credibility was tested in real time by pointed questioning from journalists over Iran, Gaza and internal accountability.

At the daily press briefing, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq relayed Guterres’ message from earlier in the day to the General Assembly: the U.N.’s financial model is “totally unsustainable,” and Member States face a stark choice — either pay their assessed contributions in full or accept sweeping changes to prevent a budget crisis.

Guterres set out three priorities for 2026: strict adherence to the U.N. Charter, relentless pursuit of what he called “peace with justice” in conflicts including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and rebuilding unity in “an age of division.” He urged countries to build “welcoming societies, not walled-off citadels,” language clearly aimed at intensifying global debates over migration and identity.

Haq also outlined the secretary-general’s schedule in the coming days: travel to London for events marking the 80th anniversary of the first General Assembly meeting and a bilateral with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer; participation in internal U.N. retreats in Switzerland; and an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Guterres plans to focus on peacebuilding, inequality, climate action and the global governance of artificial intelligence.

The atmosphere shifted sharply once questions began.

Iran: Diplomacy under careful wording

Several correspondents pressed Haq on whether the secretary-general had opened direct channels with Tehran amid reports of unrest and growing international concern. Haq said the U.N. was “exploring the possibility” of contact and that discussions were underway, but repeated that there was “nothing to announce just yet.”

Asked whether U.N. staff inside Iran were providing meaningful information, Haq confirmed that personnel were reporting on protests and conditions and that some staff had begun returning to offices. But when pressed on whether tensions appeared to be easing, he declined to characterize the situation, pointing instead to recent statements by the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The exchange highlighted a familiar rhythm: reporters seeking concrete developments; the spokesperson’s office sticking to cautious phrasing designed not to outpace diplomatic engagement.

Gaza: Tough questions on demolitions and ceasefire credibility

On Gaza, the questions were more direct.

One journalist asked about Israel’s approval of applying the death penalty to Palestinians accused of involvement in the Oct. 7 attack. Haq reiterated that the U.N. opposes the death penalty “everywhere in the world” and said the organization has raised concerns about unequal legal treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territory.

Another correspondent cited reports that Israeli bulldozers had demolished large numbers of buildings in Rafah and Deir al-Balah since the ceasefire began, referencing reporting suggesting roughly 2,500 structures had been destroyed. Haq responded that the U.N. opposes the destruction of civilian structures both during hostilities and during ceasefire periods.

A third journalist questioned whether the ceasefire process itself remained credible, asking whether phase one had been sufficiently implemented for phase two to proceed given continued aid restrictions and military activity. Haq welcomed the announcement of phase two talks, saying any initiative that eases civilian suffering and advances a “credible political horizon” is positive, while stressing that all efforts must be guided by U.N. resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2803, and international law.

The line of questioning reflected a press corps increasingly unwilling to accept optimistic framing without probing whether it matches realities on the ground.

Humanitarian updates: grim figures, quieter room

Haq’s humanitarian briefings painted a bleak picture, even if they drew fewer follow-up questions.

In Gaza, OCHA reported that more than 3,000 people are exposed to severe winter conditions after tents were damaged or destroyed, at least seven children have died of hypothermia since the start of winter, and more than 60 buildings risk collapse. UNICEF has reached more than 280,000 people with cash assistance.

In Syria, about 58,000 people remain displaced after recent clashes in Aleppo, with humanitarian funds allocating $2.5 million to national NGO partners to support urgent needs.

In Sudan, the scale is far larger: more than 21 million people face acute hunger, famine has been confirmed in parts of the country, nearly 12 million people have been displaced, and 3.7 million children and pregnant or breastfeeding women are malnourished. Guterres, Haq said, reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a Sudanese-owned political process.

The contrast was striking while humanitarian crises deepened, the sharpest exchanges still centered on geopolitics and diplomacy.

Accountability reaches the Secretariat

Near the end of the briefing, attention turned inward. A journalist raised the UNOPS corruption case involving former Assistant Secretary-General Vitaly Vanshelboim, whose extradition to the United States has reportedly been approved by a Spanish court.

Haq said the U.N. had cooperated with authorities and supported efforts “to make sure that justice is served.” Asked whether the organization could recover the money lost in the scandal, he deferred to the visiting head of UNOPS, expected to brief shortly.

The exchange underscored a growing reality in the briefing room: journalists are increasingly scrutinizing the U.N. itself, not just its Member States — especially as the organization warns of financial distress.

A room that sets the tone

The Jan. 15 briefing offered more than policy updates. It revealed a shifting dynamic between the Secretariat and the press corps: questions are sharper, more evidence-based, and less patient with procedural answers.

Guterres has framed 2026 as a year of urgency, reform and moral clarity. Whether that narrative holds will not be judged only in the General Assembly or at global summits, but day by day in the briefing room — where reporters are signaling that credibility now depends on specifics, not slogans.