Tehran/Beirut/Geneva, 10 March 2026 - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched a CHF 40 million Emergency Appeal to scale up the vital work of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), as it responds to sharply growing humanitarian needs resulting from the ongoing hostilities.
The appeal will support five million people across 30 affected provinces over the next 16 months, prioritising those directly affected by hostilities, damage to infrastructure and disruptions to essential services. Across the country, communities are facing growing humanitarian needs related to health care, shelter, water and sanitation, and mental health and psychosocial support.
“With humanitarian needs growing sharply with every passing day, this Emergency Appeal will help scale up lifesaving assistance and get support to those most affected,” said Maria Martinez, IFRC Head of Delegation in Iran. “The Iranian Red Crescent Society immediately mobilised its network of staff and volunteers to respond to communities affected by the hostilities. This work on the ground by the Iranian Red Crescent Society and the IFRC is vital to saving lives – every moment counts.”
The Iranian Red Crescent Society has been responding to the crisis since hostilities escalated on February 28. Currently, 529 branches are engaged in response operations across 30 affected provinces and 197 cities. More than 2,100 response teams and over 6,500 staff and volunteers have been deployed to support communities.
Emergency teams are engaged in search and rescue operations, emergency medical assistance and community outreach. The Iranian Red Crescent Society’s ‘4030’ nationwide phone hotline has also received thousands of calls, providing mental health and psychosocial support to people affected by the crisis.
Through this Emergency Appeal, the IFRC will support the Iranian Red Crescent Society to scale up humanitarian assistance in key areas including emergency shelter support, relief items and household supplies, health services, water and sanitation support, and community-based mental health and psychosocial services. The response will also strengthen search and rescue capacity, emergency medical services and preparedness for potential displacement of people from their homes.
IFRC has already allocated CHF 1.5 million from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to support immediate lifesaving activities and operational readiness while international support is mobilised through the Emergency Appeal.
IFRC calls on governments, donors and partners to urgently support this appeal to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches communities affected by the crisis.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected]
In Geneva:
Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367
Scott Craig, +41 76 370 3575
In Beirut:
Mey El Sayegh, +961 03 229 352
