TEHRAN –The national red crescent week is being held from May 8 to 14, commemorating self-sacrificing members of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), who stand like a cypress, providing support to people, and saving their lives during crises.

In the Iranian culture, cypress trees represent strength and stability; they are recognized as a symbol of resistance, freedom, love, and beauty. The comparison is apt, for the IRCS members’ commitment, devotion, and self-sacrifice have enabled them to bring hope to the community in the darkest moments of their lives, boosting their strength and resistance.

In times of crises such as earthquakes, floods, and accidents, as well as conflicts, the IRCS relief teams are among the first to rush to the scene to respond to hazards and offer assistance. They stand on the front lines of crises that affect them, as well.

With the escalation of hostilities against Iran, after the imposed US-Israeli attacks on the country, Iranian civilians faced growing uncertainty and loss. The IRCS relief teams worked across affected areas, searching through rubble, rescuing survivors from collapsed buildings, and providing urgent medical care.  

The risks were real. Ambulances and emergency centres were damaged. Volunteers were killed while carrying out their duties. Many responders were not only witnessing tragedy; they were living it.  

They worked under danger, made life-saving decisions in seconds, and supported communities through moments of fear and loss.  

Humanity is what turns compassion into action, into helping, healing, and standing with those who need it most.  

Sadly, four IRCS staff members were martyred during the US-Israeli aggression. Hamidreza Jahanbakhsh, Somayeh Mir Abou Eshaq, Alireza Sohbatlou, and Abolfazl Dehnavi were the relief workers martyred during U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran while carrying out their duties.

The week provides a great opportunity to remember and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in the service of others. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of the need to safeguard humanitarian action and protect those who risk everything to assist others.  

To celebrate the week, the IRCS has launched a campaign titled ‘crescent in the fields’, setting up centers in all cities to showcase the IRCS achievements, provide relief services, and public education, preparing community members and first responders to deliver first aid during and immediately after disasters. The IRCS teams, educators, and coaches will join people in the streets. Moreover, rescuers and survivors will narrate their stories and experiences they underwent during the recent imposed war.

The national society plans to inaugurate construction projects across the country, including the inauguration of IRCS pharmacies in Shahrud (the north-central province of Semnan), Jiroft (Kerman province), and Lahijan (northern Gilan province).

A smart rescue system named ‘national aid portal’ will be unveiled during the week. 

Holding a large-scale relief and rescue maneuver in Tehran, campaigns like ‘our Country, selfless services, permanent support, blood donation’, car rallies adorned with the flags of Iran and the IRCS, and unveiling the latest tracking system and search and rescue dogs are among other programs.

The week-long programs will involve a photo exhibition featuring rescue efforts and self-sacrifice of the aid workers, and the inauguration of a house of young artists affiliated with the IRCS.

The National Humanitarian Rights Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran is scheduled to organize meetings to pursue the legal consequences of the military invasions against Iran.

The national society will hold meetings with the heads of the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and other international institutions.

The IRCS medical centers are planned to provide free medical services and screen people for diabetes and blood pressure in deprived provinces of the country, and abroad.

During the week, humanitarian items will be distributed among war-affected people. Milad Tower, Azadi Tower, and Tabiat Bridge will be lit up in red and white, and the tombs of martyrs will be dusted.

One of the most important programs of the week is holding a memorial ceremony at the Minab Martyrs’ Cemetery.

All these programs aim to strengthen the spirit of solidarity, promote the culture of sacrifice, and provide selfless service to the people.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day 2026 is observed annually on May 8. Each year, the day highlights a specific theme. This year, it is held under the theme ‘United in Humanity. No Matter Where, No Matter When’.

For more than 160 years, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has stood alongside communities in times of crisis, guided by the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality, ensuring that aid reaches those most in need, wherever and whoever they are.

The day honours their commitment and celebrate their humanity. Because beyond every emergency, every response, and every emblem, there is one truth: we are united in humanity.  

In an increasingly complex and polarized world, where division and dehumanization are on the rise, humanity remains our common ground.  

It is what connects people across borders, across crises, and across differences.  

Since late February 2026, devastating strikes across Iran have killed hundreds, injured thousands, and disrupted essential services for up to 60 million people. The Iranian Red Crescent Society has mobilized thousands of responders to deliver search and rescue, medical aid, and emergency relief across the country — but the scale of need is far beyond what they can meet alone.

In April, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) issued an emergency appeal, urging the international community to support the Iranian Red Crescent Society during the imposed war by the United States and Israel against the country.

Jagan Chapagain, the secretary general of the IFRC, lauded the courageous acts of IRCS staff as they rush in to provide rescue services to those affected by the war, highlighting “Despite fear and uncertainty, Iranian Red Crescent Society staff, and volunteers continue to respond with remarkable courage, providing emergency care and health services across the country.”

The IFRC has decided to choose the IRCS as the regional hub for rescue and relief training thanks to its high capabilities and its remarkable achievements over the past years, particularly during the US-Israeli war against the country.

MT/MG