WANA (Oct 14) – The Iranian Red Crescent has announced plans to set up a new field hospital to provide medical care to people affected by the conflict in Lebanon.

 

In a statement, the organization condemned recent attacks by the Israeli regime on its medical and relief centres near the Syria-Lebanon border, labelling the actions as war crimes.

 

The Iranian Red Crescent reaffirmed its commitment to the core principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which focus on protecting human lives, promoting health, and alleviating suffering, especially in war-torn regions.

 

The text of this statement is as follows:

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

In line with the humanitarian approach and ethos of the “Islamic Republic of Iran,” which considers aiding the oppressed of the world a religious and moral duty, and based on the fundamental principles of the “International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement,” which obligates national societies to assist war victims without discrimination and to strive within their international and national capacities to prevent and alleviate human suffering, the “Iranian Red Crescent Society” established a field hospital and a medical supply depot at the Lebanon-Syria border in October this year. This was done to provide medical treatment to the defenceless people of Lebanon who had suffered physical injuries due to attacks by the army of the Zionist regime.

 

Unfortunately, in a move completely contrary to the “fundamental principles of international humanitarian law,” especially the “principle of distinction,” which firmly emphasizes the protection of civilians in armed conflicts and prohibits attacks against them, the army of the Zionist regime targeted the Iranian Red Crescent’s field hospital and its medical supply depot in airstrikes on Thursday morning, October 11, 2024. By destroying and setting fire to the hospital and the relief, food, and medical supplies stored to assist patients, they committed another crime against humanity and a war crime.

 

This humanitarian disaster, given that the wounded had not yet been transferred to the hospital, did not result in any human casualties, and the medical staff and relief workers at the hospital remained unharmed.

 

The Iranian Red Crescent, while condemning this heinous act, which is regarded as a gross violation of international humanitarian law, remains committed to its humanitarian duties as outlined in its legal charter and relevant international regulations, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Trusting in the grace of Almighty God and relying on the faith of its relief workers, medical personnel, and emergency resources, it is now preparing to establish a new field hospital to treat the war-affected people of Lebanon and will exert every effort on this sacred and humanitarian path.

 

The Red Crescent Society also considers it its duty to express gratitude to the dear people of Iran who play a significant role in supporting the people of Lebanon through their financial and in-kind contributions. It seeks health and prosperity for its kind compatriots and benevolent benefactors from Almighty God.