TEHRAN – The World Humanitarian Day is a symbol of solidarity, altruism, and sacrifice among nations, an opportunity to pay more attention to the role of humanitarian organizations in alleviating human suffering, according to the director of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).

“It is a day to honor aid workers and volunteers. It is also a reminder of the shared responsibility of all nations in the face of humanitarian crises. Any humanitarian movement will serve as a bridge to promote peace and solidarity across the world,” Mojnews quoted Razieh Alishvandi as saying.

The official made the remarks while addressing a gathering held on Monday on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, which is celebrated annually on August 19.

Elaborating on the services offered by the IRCS, Alishvandi said, “The efforts of the Iranian Red Crescent Society are not limited to relief services. It plays a significant role in humanitarian diplomacy in the region and the globe. Constructive interactions with other national societies, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the global Red Cross are part of the society’s achievements.”

The official went on to highlight that the IRCS has always been at the forefront of humanitarian relief efforts. “From active presence/ participation in (addressing) natural disasters in the region to providing aid to the oppressed people of Gaza and Lebanon, the Iranian Red Crescent Society has always strived to keep the flag of humanity flying high in the international arena,” Alishvandi further noted.

IFRC honors IRCS aid workers martyred in 12-day war

Underscoring the theme of #ActforHumanity, the IFRC, in a press release on August 18, has expounded on the IRCS rescue workers’ efforts, courage, and sacrifice during the 12-day war imposed by Israel on Iran in June.

On a conflict-torn night in Tehran, Morteza Zakeri, head of a relief and rescue team, was dispatched to a residential building struck by airstrikes. He arrived to find devastation – collapsed homes, shattered glass, and streets filled with terrified women and children.

“There was no time to pause,” he says. “We began clearing debris immediately. The screams of trapped families pushed us to move faster, despite the constant risk of further collapse.”

Yet in the middle of fear and rubble, Zakeri found pride in the courage of his team. “It’s not just duty anymore,” he says. “It’s love. We stand by our people until the very end.”

On World Humanitarian Day 2025 (19 August), we unite with humanitarians around the world under the banner #ActforHumanity to honour the courage of people like Morteza who rush toward danger to save lives – often at great personal risk.

We also join with others in pledging to further heighten our resolve to ensure humanitarian workers and emergency responders are respected and protected as they carry out their life-saving duties.

Since the beginning of 2024, a total of 50 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and workers have been killed in the line of duty. 18 of those deaths occurred in 2025. Each one of them stood under the protective emblems of the Red Cross, Red Crescent, or Red Crystal – which under international humanitarian law means they must be respected, protected, and never become a target.

This includes five people from the Iranian Red Crescent Society – namely Mojtaba Maleki, Amir Hassan Jamshidpour, Mehdi Zartaji Saray, Yaser Zivari, and Seyyed Ali Akbar Mir Mohammadi – whose volunteers and staff responded with extraordinary bravery during a deadly escalation of violence in June 2025.

Some of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Others survived, but carry with them the scars, stories, and spirit of what it means to be a humanitarian.

MT/MG