Rising tensions deepen humanitarian strain for migrants in Iran: expert

Humanitarian pressures for migrants are spreading across the Iran as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, according to the International Organization of Migration (IOM).

Iran hosts a large number of Afghans, with round 4.5 million Afghans working and living there, making it one of the largest migrant hosting countries in the world.

Salvador Gutierrez, representative of the IOM in Iran, said numerous migrants remain excluded from essential public services, with women, children and the elderly particularly at risk.

"We have an increase of the vulnerabilities of all the migrants, particularly the elderly, the children, the women. And as I already mentioned, most of these migrants have already lost their jobs. And they do not have this protection network. They don't have families here. And in several cases, they are also concerned because many of these migrants are irregular migrants, and they do not have access to all the services that the national population has. So, they are struggling much more," he said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) via video link in Tehran on Thursday.

He said the IOM is working with Iranian authorities to track population movements, assess needs, and deliver emergency assistance on the ground.

"We are coordinating with the government to assess the needs that the population has. We are also conducting these activities related to tracking the mobility, and also monitoring how the flow is in the different borders of the country. We are providing direct support and to migrants, to refugees, to IDPs (internally displaced persons), and also to stranded migrants. So, we are here delivering on the ground and monitoring the situation and even calling all the different countries to support this humanitarian response, which is deeply needed in the country," said Gutierrez.

Rising tensions deepen humanitarian strain for migrants in Iran: expert

Rising tensions deepen humanitarian strain for migrants in Iran: expert

Rising tensions deepen humanitarian strain for migrants in Iran: expert

As of 19:49 on Monday, China's total box office revenue for the Qingming Festival holiday had surpassed 300 million yuan (about 43.6 million U.S. dollars), according to data from online platforms.

The holiday lineup features animation, family, suspense, and other genres, with "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie", "Project Hail Mary", "It's OK", and "Now I Met Her" leading the tally.

The Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, and China's three-day Qingming Festival holiday started on Saturday this year. While it is a time to enjoy the greenery of springtime and to visit the graves of ancestors, the holiday has also become a busy period for cultural and tourism activities in China, including visits to the cinema.

Cinemas in Beijing's Chaoyang District, as one of the first pilot areas for China's "movie plus" initiative, are actively exploring the "ticket stub economy," allowing moviegoers to present their ticket stubs from cinemas to receive discounts and added services in subsequent consumption scenarios.

In Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the Xi'an Film Studio Experience Center for Arts of Film integrates film history with tourism, immersing visitors in the glory of classic movies.

"The exhibition gave me a systematic understanding of the historical development of Chinese film industry, allowing me to follow the footsteps of films to learn new things. I harvested both happiness and novel knowledge," said Qiu Keyu, a tourist.

The XR cinema in the park immerses visitors in film scenes.

"After putting on the XR device, I felt completely immersed - it was quite exciting," said Liu Bin, a moviegoer.

Qingming holiday box office hits 300 mln yuan