TEHRAN - Hossam Elsharkawi, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has referred to Iran as the strongest member in the region.

“Among the 192 national Red Crescent and Red Cross societies around the world, the Red Crescent of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been one of the most important and strongest societies and a reliable member of the Federation.”

Elsharkawi made the remarks in an online meeting with Razieh Alishvand, the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s director for international affairs, Mehr reported.

The quick and effective presence of the Iranian Red Crescent Society in the rescue operations and then providing relief to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria last winter shows the good preparedness of the IRCS in response to natural disasters, the IFRC official highlighted.

In February, IFRC appreciated the Iranian Red Crescent Society for its services during the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

“I praise the leadership and commitment of the Iranian Red Crescent Society,” IFRC President, Francesco Rocca, wrote in a letter to IRCS Head Pir-Hossein Kolivand.

“I assure you that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stands by your side in carrying out humanitarian missions,” Rocca added, IRNA reported.

“Words cannot express my gratitude to the volunteers and staff of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who worked tirelessly to save people's lives and support the needy from the very beginning of the emergency."

"Undoubtedly, your efforts are all the more meaningful when you consider the humanitarian response that the Iranian Red Crescent Society is making nationally in the Khoi region and in several provinces affected by climate problems," the IFRC president highlighted.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society was the first national community in the world, whose planes carrying humanitarian aid and its specialized rescue teams landed in the earthquake-stricken areas of Turkey and Syria and carried out rescue operations in cooperation with the red crescent societies of the two host countries.

In a meeting with Kolivand in March 2022, Rocca expressed satisfaction with the high number of volunteers of the IRCS worldwide and said that IRCS is one of the strongest communities in the world, which brings hope back to people’s lives after every incident.

Stating that IFRC will support the IRCS’s programs, he announced readiness to strengthen the Iranian Red Crescent Society's relations with other national communities because those communities can use Iran's experience and knowledge to deal with and prevent the incidents.

At present, the Iranian Red Crescent Society provides medical services to people in 13 Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

Currently, some 14 medical facilities are offering humanitarian, relief, and health services to the deprived people in 13 countries, including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, and Ecuador.

The IRCS polyclinic center includes various departments such as laboratory, pharmacy, radiology and physiotherapy, and general practitioners along with obstetricians, gynecologists, internal medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmologists, and dentists.

MG