WANA (Mar 26) – Dr. Pirhossein Kolivand, head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, stated in an interview that more than 87,000 civilian units have been severely damaged or completely destroyed since the start of recent Israeli and U.S. attacks. This includes 66,261 residential units and 20,127 commercial properties.

 

“Contrary to enemy claims, the scale of destruction has been extensive,” Kolivand said. “Of the damaged civilian properties, 26,926 are located in Tehran province alone, highlighting the intensity of attacks on the capital.”

 

He added that, in violation of international law, 289 medical, pharmaceutical, and emergency centers were also affected.

 

Kolivand noted that 600 schools and 17 Red Crescent centers were either directly hit or severely damaged by the attacks, rendering them unusable. “These figures show that the aggressions targeted more than just military installations,” he said.

 

Regarding emergency response fleets, Kolivand reported that three rescue helicopters and 48 emergency vehicles—including ambulances and team vehicles—suffered serious damage, complicating aid efforts for the injured. “Such attacks on humanitarian operations violate the Geneva Conventions,” he emphasized.

 

He further confirmed that emergency personnel were not spared: 14 rescue workers were injured, and one lost their life during the attacks.

 

“All reports, evidence, and statistics from these attacks have been sent to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and we urge them to investigate these incidents,” Kolivand concluded.

Emergency personnel work at the site of a strike on a residential building, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 23, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)