WANA (Mar 30) – In a joint statement issued today, the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the National Committee on Humanitarian Law strongly condemned recent military strikes by “American-Zionist” forces against Mehrabad Airport and civilian aircraft.

 

In their seventh official joint communiqué, the organizations categorized these actions as a direct assault on the fundamental right to life and the health of non-combatants, emphasizing that targeting civilian aviation infrastructure stands in total opposition to the core principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

 

The full text of Joint Statement No. 7, released by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the National Committee on Humanitarian Law following the attacks, is as follows:

 

“As previously emphasized in communications addressed to the international community—including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC)—broad, unilateral, and baseless interpretations of the concept of ‘threat’ in armed conflicts can lead to an unlawful expansion of ‘legitimate military targets.’ Such shifts in definition inevitably result in devastating and irreversible consequences for civilian populations.

 

According to reports received from the IRCS and other competent authorities, a significant number of civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, have been killed, injured, or directly affected since the onset of this conflict. The high volume of loss of life and property damage serves as a stark warning regarding the alarming consequences of current approaches to defining military objectives.

 

Data indicates that as part of these hostile operations, an attack took place on March 4, 2026, against Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport. This strike resulted in the total destruction of six aircraft and caused severe damage to five others. Furthermore, this trend has continued with attacks on Shahid Hasheminejad Airport in Mashhad in recent days, and Shahid Madani Airport in Tabriz last night.

 

The aforementioned airports are categorized strictly as civilian and domestic infrastructure. The aircraft stationed there possess no military utility and were not being utilized for ‘dual-use’ purposes effective in hostile operations. Based on available intelligence, these assets have not been used for military exploitation during the conflict, and no reliable documentation has been provided to support such claims.

 

Targeting airports and civilian aviation equipment contradicts the fundamental principles of International Humanitarian Law, specifically the ‘Principle of Distinction’ between military and civilian objects, as well as the ‘Principle of Proportionality’ and the requirement to take ‘Precautionary Measures’ in attacks. Such actions have a pervasive impact on civilian life and severely compromise basic human rights, including the right to life and health.

 

The Iranian Red Crescent Society and the National Committee on Humanitarian Law express deep concern over the continuation of these acts. We emphasize the necessity for all parties to adhere to their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.

 

We call upon the international community—specifically the ICRC, the UN Human Rights Council, and other relevant bodies—to adopt a responsible and effective stance to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and to safeguard civilians and civilian infrastructure.

 

Pir-Hossein Kolivand

President of the Red Crescent Society and Chairman of the National Committee on Humanitarian Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran”

WANA - Mehrabad International Airport

Mehrabad International Airport. Social media/ WANA News Agency