TEHRAN - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will allocate up to 500 thousand francs to Iran to aid the country in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barbara Rizzoli, the head of the ICRC delegation in Tehran, made the remarks in a meeting with Karim Hemmati, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), in Tehran on April 7, according to the ICRC website.

She added that the ICRC is making efforts to create a financial channel for Iran to receive international humanitarian aid amid its battle against the new coronavirus.

“We understand the serious concerns about the impact of sanctions on the import of medicine and medical equipment into Iran,” Rizzoli noted, Press TV reported.

“Basically, the medical supplies should be exempt from sanctions, but sometimes it is difficult to transfer the cost of medicines through bank channels. In this regard, the ICRC is negotiating not only at the regional level but also in Geneva and with related organizations. And we are looking at all options and we will not miss any solutions,” she explained.

Some other organizations and countries have provided Iran with aid to help the country combat the coronavirus.

On April 2, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund for International Development (OFID), provided Iran with $500,000 to combat COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance.

Also, the World Health Organization delivered a shipment of emergency medical supplies and medicine to Iran as part of COVID-19 response measures on March 24.

South Korea intends to send a shipment worth $2 million to Iran to help the country combat the coronavirus. Besides, Russia has sent 50,000 coronavirus diagnostic kits to the Iranian Embassy in Moscow, Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali announced in March.

MG