TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC) have held a workshop on safety equipment and personal protection in chemical incidents for 50 selected members of rapid response and primary medical care teams of the IRCS.

The five-day training course was held in Tehran from June 7 to 21, targeting basic health care unit (BHCU) team leaders from five high-risk provinces, namely Tehran, Qom, Markazi, Isfahan, and Bushehr, as well as passive defense trainers, IRNA reported.

At the opening ceremony, Morteza Moradipour, Director General for Passive Defense of the Red Crescent Society, referring to the last two periods of escalation of conflicts in Iran, said “This course provides the participants with the opportunity to learn how to use safety equipment related to chemical incidents prepared in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and chemical defense training in cooperation with Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences.” He also said that the course will continue to be held for other IRCS employees, the ICRC website reported.

The course was held in two theoretical and practical modules. The participants learned about different types of chemicals, how to use safety equipment, how to provide assistance to the affected population, how to decontaminate people affected by chemicals, and how to provide relief and rescue to the population affected by chemical agents during war.

The ICRC helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often with its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.

ICRC also seeks to prevent hardship by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and championing universal humanitarian principles. People know they can count on us to carry out a range of life-saving activities in conflict zones and to work closely with the communities there to understand and meet their needs. Our experience and expertise enable us to respond quickly and effectively, without taking sides.

ICRC hails IRCS efforts, bravery during war

In April, the president of the ICRC, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, commended the efforts, bravery, and accomplishments of the IRCS during the recent imposed war by the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel on Iran.

“I admire the courage and commitment of the Iranian Red Crescent Society aid workers to provide humanitarian relief to people affected by the recent war. Your efforts were both important and outstanding,” Mehr news agency quoted Spoljaric Egger as saying.

The official made the remarks on April 30 in a meeting with the head of the IRCS, Pirhossein Kolivand.

Highlighting the importance of respecting international humanitarian law (IHL), the official noted that the IHL is frequently violated in the region; the war impacts on civilians, particularly children, are unacceptable. There is no justified reason for depriving children of their rights.

The measures that lead to the breach of IHL, and the attacks that target civilians and humanitarian workers, have to be stopped and reversed, she added.

The official described the current situation as dangerous, saying that “We, and the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s staff, should use our capacity to reduce tensions, which is essential for the protection of civilians and children.

That is why we are here, staying here; we fulfil our responsibility inside and outside the country to change the situation, and offer assistance in any way that is possible.”

The IRCS is a leading, strong national society, equipped with good facilities. The ICRC representative in Iran will help meet the country’s medical needs to set up hospitals and facilitate the import of supplies that are not allowed under sanctions, she further noted.

The official went on to thank the head of the IRCS for his continuous follow-up on the issues and for providing the ICRC with information and reports.

Vincent Cassard, the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has highlighted the need to expand collaborations with the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) in 2026.

In December 2025, Cassard met with Razieh Alishvandi, the director of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) for international affairs, lauding the IRCS for its efforts and enumerated joint activities, such as holding a conference on rehabilitation, establishing a rehabilitation secretariat by the IRCS, and co-hosting a webinar on ‘Early Rehabilitation in Conflicts and Disasters’, with the IRCS playing a key role in organizing the event.  

Cassard went on to say that the ICRC office in Tehran has secured the budget to implement plans, such as rehabilitation services to vulnerable groups, particularly refugees. He added that the second conference on rehabilitation is planned to be held in the second quarter of 2026.

MT/MG