WANA (Apr 27) – Despite more than 40 days of intense conflict between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces, alongside a naval blockade and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has so far avoided widespread shortages of essential medicines and basic goods.

 

Contrary to expectations of an immediate supply crisis, pharmacies and hospitals across the country continue to operate with relative stability. Shelves remain stocked with most medications, and patients are still able to access routine treatments.

 

At the ground level, pharmacy operators say the supply chain has remained largely intact throughout the conflict.

 

“The drug supply chain during the war, even from the very first day that these explosions happened until we actually reached a ceasefire, there was no disruption,” said Azade Salem, a pharmaceutical doctor and director of a pharmacy in Tehran, to WANA reporters. “Every drug we ordered was delivered on time… and I really think this deserves appreciation.”

 

This resilience is partly rooted in preparations made during previous crises. According to Salem, authorities had already increased strategic drug reserves, helping prevent shortages in most categories.

People buy at a pharmacy, amid a ceasefire between U.S. and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 23, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

“I think that from the previous war… a plan was made for the country’s drug reserves, and they had increased that reserve,” she said. “As a result, we didn’t have problems with the majority of drugs.”

 

However, the system has not been entirely immune. Salem pointed to vulnerabilities in imported medicines, particularly those dependent on international financial channels.

 

“The reality is that there is a shortage of certain drugs, especially chemotherapy drugs and imported ones,” she noted. “The chain related to currency transfer and other matters was disrupted.”

 

While domestically produced medicines have remained stable, concerns are beginning to shift toward the sustainability of supply, particularly for materials linked to petrochemical production.

 

“Our next major concern is petrochemical products… like syringes and IV sets,” Salem said. “We are now concerned about how long the country’s reserves will meet the needs.”

An Iranian nurse attends to a patient at a hospital, amid a ceasefire between U.S. and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 23, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Hospitals, meanwhile, report that operations have continued at full capacity despite population shifts and wartime conditions.

 

In her interview with WANA, Ms. Karimpour, a supervisor at Ebn Sina Hospital said: “Despite the fact that they said half the people left Tehran, all our departments were active,” she continued “Our ICUs were full… and in terms of drugs and equipment, nothing has happened yet—we had everything.”

 

She added that the hospital has maintained its standard practice of directly supplying patients with medications, reducing pressure on external pharmacies.

 

“We prepare discharge prescriptions and give patients a week’s worth of medication ourselves,” she said. “Even some special and rare drugs… we never send patients out to find them. It hasn’t changed during this war.”

A pharmaceutical worker works in a pharmacy, amid a ceasefire between U.S. and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 23, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

For patients, the experience has so far reflected this relative stability. “No, we had no shortage, thank God,” said one pharmacy client, Ms. Akbarzade. “I went for dental and pediatric care… there was no shortage of medicine.”

 

Iran’s ability to maintain supply under pressure highlights a broader paradox. Years of economic sanctions and external constraints have forced the country to develop domestic production and alternative trade routes, particularly through its extensive land borders.

 

These adaptations, along with tighter government control over distribution and pre-existing stockpiles, appear to have cushioned the immediate impact of the current conflict.

 

For now, the system is holding. But with ongoing uncertainty around imports and critical materials, health officials and providers remain cautious about how long this stability can last.