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The international Red Cross movement said Tuesday that life-saving medical supplies and other aid have crossed into Iran for the first time since the war began, as humanitarian groups warned that supply routes into the country have been severely disrupted.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said a shipment of medical supplies and other aid entered Iran on Sunday. The convoy had departed from Ankara on Friday.
IFRC spokesman Tommaso Della Longa said the convoy marked “one of the first cross-border shipments of medical supplies” by any organization since the conflict began with Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
He said the IFRC had sent trauma kits “designed to provide immediate, life-saving care.”
The aid convoy set off from the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday and crossed into Iran on Sunday, according to the IFRC.
Della Longa said the operation was critical because humanitarian supply chains into Iran had been badly affected by the conflict in recent weeks.
“The operation is critical as humanitarian supply chains into Iran have been severely disrupted in recent weeks due to the conflict, making it increasingly difficult and more costly for essential medical and relief items to reach those in need,” he said.
He added that the IFRC hopes to bring in more trauma kits over the next three weeks.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, the other part of the Red Cross movement, also said it had delivered a first cross-border aid shipment of 171 metric tonnes of essential relief items to Iran on Monday.
The ICRC said 14 trucks were dispatched from its warehouse in Jordan carrying supplies for nearly 25,090 people.
According to the organization, the shipment included blankets, mattresses, jerrycans, kitchen sets, tarpaulins and solar lamps.
In addition, the ICRC said 200 generators and 100 motor pumps purchased locally had been donated to the Iranian Red Crescent Society to support relief and rescue operations.
“At a time when humanitarian needs remain high across the country, we hope this shipment will bring some relief to communities enduring the devastating impact of the conflict,” said Vincent Cassard, head of the ICRC delegation in Iran.
“We aim to expand our support in the coming weeks and to continue backing the humanitarian efforts of the IRCS,” he said.
The shipments came as aid groups highlighted the pressure facing humanitarian operations across Iran.
Della Longa said the Iranian Red Crescent had been under enormous strain since the conflict began.
He said the organization had “lost four relief workers in the line of duty, while saving lives” during the war.
“This is unacceptable,” he said.
The shipments marked the first Red Cross cross-border aid deliveries into Iran since the war began and came as both the IFRC and ICRC said they were preparing to expand support in the weeks ahead.
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