Country: Iran (Islamic Republic of) Source: International Committee of the Red Cross Tehran (ICRC): The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has dispatched 171 metric tonnes of essential relief items to the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), with five truckloads delivered yesterday. This marks the first ICRC shipment to Iran since the latest escalation of hostilities and one of the first cross-border humanitarian deliveries to the country in six weeks. A total of fourteen trucks dispatched from the ICRC warehouse in Jordan carried vital household items sufficient to meet the needs of nearly 25,000 people. The supplies include blankets, jerrycans, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, hygiene parcels, solar lamps, buckets and mattresses. The first shipment of five trucks was handed over to the IRCS in Tehran for onward distribution. The remaining shipment consisting of nine trucks will be handed over to the IRCS later this week. Additionally, 200 generators and 100 motor pumps purchased locally were donated to the IRCS in support of their relief and rescue operations. The ICRC is also preparing additional deliveries of life-saving medical supplies and other critical assistance that it hopes to dispatch in the coming weeks as it scales up support for the IRCS’s humanitarian response. ‘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,’ Cassard said. ‘Their dedicated response has been extraordinary, particularly given the challenging conditions in which they are operating. We remain committed to supporting and enabling their vital work.’ While the current ceasefire has provided much-needed respite and enabled increased efforts to address urgent needs, the consequences of the conflict continue to weigh heavily on affected communities. The ICRC stands ready to further assist those in need, in close cooperation with the IRCS and in coordination with relevant authorities and reiterates its call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law. For more information, images and video, please contact: Press Office, ICRC Geneva, +41 22 730 34 43, [email protected]

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