TEHRAN – United Nations Information Center held a press conference on Tuesday in Tehran to elaborate on the overall activities of the UN in Iran.

Consuelo Vidal, UN resident coordinator & UNDP resident presided over the conference while representatives of other UN institutions in Iran also attended to answer questions.
Vidal praised the level of cooperation between UN and the national institutions in Iran, calling it suitable.
She said the UN agencies in Iran implement their projects through national institutions, adding that credit for achievements goes to these institutions.
The mandate the UN has in Iran is humanitarian or developmental and not political, she noted.
The UN agencies coordinate with national authorities on how they can support them, Vidal said, adding her overall assessment of the collaboration in Iran is positive.
Elzira Sagynbaeva, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, was also present and noted that the UN is negotiating to start new programs with the Iranian officials besides the ones running at present.
She said two important current projects include an environmental program and some projects pertaining to fighting against HIV and Malaria diseases.
The UN is helping the Iranian government to fight these two dangerous diseases through providing necessary funds, she said, adding that these global funds provide significant amounts to help fight the fatal illnesses.
She went on to say that a number of projects are underway and some other projects have been completed successfully.
Also present at the press conference were WHO representative Ambrogio Manenti, UNICEF representative Paul Hulshoff, UNSECO representative Qunli Han, UNFPA representative M. Hulki Uz, UNAIDS country officer Fardad Doroudi, and UNHCR representative Carlos Zaccagnini.
The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Tehran is part of a worldwide network of information centers and offices (UNOs) that links the headquarters with people around the world. Located in over 60 countries, these field offices of the Department of Public Information help local communities obtain up-to-date information on the organization and its activities. As active links between the organization and the local media, educational institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UNICs provide up-to-date information on the aims and activities of the United Nations in political, economic, social and humanitarian fields to a diverse local audience