AhlulBayt News Agency: The visit of the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) to Geneva this week has become a platform for highlighting the humanitarian dimensions of the recent US-Israeli war of aggression against the country, pursuing the rights of victims and aid workers, and expanding cooperation with major international humanitarian organizations.
The three-day visit by Pirhossein Kolivand, made at the invitation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), included meetings with senior officials from the IFRC, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations, and representatives of several countries.
According to Iranian officials, the trip aimed to present documented accounts of attacks on civilians, medical centers, relief facilities, and rescue workers during the recent conflict waged by the US and Israel, while also strengthening humanitarian diplomacy and expanding international cooperation.
Presenting Iran’s wartime narrative
One of the most significant parts of the visit was Kolivand’s meeting with senior IFRC officials, where images and videos from the war were shown.
The footage included rescue workers searching through rubble, ambulances operating in targeted areas, the evacuation of the wounded, and the recovery of victims’ bodies.
Kolivand described the attacks on residential areas, hospitals, educational centers, ambulances, rescue vehicles, and Red Crescent helicopters as “blatant violations of international humanitarian law.”
He stressed that attacks on humanitarian personnel and equipment are among the gravest violations under international conventions protecting aid workers during armed conflicts.
International support and cooperation
During the meetings, international officials praised the operational capabilities of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
Xavier Castellanos, undersecretary general of the IFRC, described the Iranian society as a successful model for other national organizations and emphasized the value of sharing Iran’s humanitarian experience with other countries.
Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the ICRC, also praised the Iranian Red Crescent’s wartime performance and called it one of the strongest national societies in the world.
Sanctions hampering humanitarian efforts
The talks additionally focused on the effects of sanctions on humanitarian activities, particularly difficulties related to banking channels, medical supplies, and relief equipment.
According to Iranian officials, agreements were reached to explore new financial mechanisms and facilitate the direct purchase of ambulances, rescue vehicles, medicine, and specialized equipment from international companies.
Iranian officials said the main achievement of the Geneva mission was ensuring that the humanitarian consequences of the war are documented within international institutions.
In Geneva – long considered a symbol of humanitarian law – the Iranian delegation sought to underline that protecting civilians, medical centers, and aid workers must remain a universal principle free from political considerations.
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