TEHRAN – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) project manager, Faisal Mahboob, has lauded the capabilities of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) as outstanding.

The official said he was really impressed by the capacity and the wide range of activities carried out by the IRCS.

 “The International Federation will support the activities of the Iranian Red Crescent Society to commence a new phase of collaboration with the society,” Mahboob added, the IRCS website reported.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting held to follow up on finalizing a roadmap for cooperation.

During the visit, Vincent Cassard, the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iran, said the activities of the ICRC in Iran have been defined in three sectors including locating missing people in the Iran-Iraq war in the 80s, supporting foreign nationals in Iran through health, rehabilitation and family reunification projects; and promoting international humanitarian law.

Considering the importance of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region, one of the main activities of the committee is to establish effective interactions with the country to be able to meet humanitarian needs and provide aid in the region,” he added.

Attending the meeting on finalizing a joint action plan as a roadmap for cooperation on Sunday, Mahboob said, “One of the objectives of the meeting is to discuss the details and review the implementation of the action plan which can effectively demonstrate the capabilities of the IRCS in various fields.

Once finalized in Geneva, the document will act as the roadmap of cooperation,” the IRCS website reported.

Razieh Alishvandi, the IRCS director for international affairs, for her part, stressed the need to train experts and support technical and operational sectors.

She went on to say, “There is a constructive interaction between the Iranian Red Crescent Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross, we look forward to fostering the same relationship with the International Federation of Red Cross.”

Referring to the capabilities of the IRCS in manufacturing medical and pharmaceutical products and rescue devices, the official said the IRCS seeks to showcase its products to other national societies.

The official also highlighted the IRCS's readiness to share its experience in the successful management of mass gatherings, particularly in Haj and Arbaeen pilgrimages.

In May, the IFRC expressed willingness to expand collaboration with the IRCS.

During a meeting on the sidelines of the preliminary session of the 34th IFRC international conference,  Alishvandi and Xavier Castellanos Mosquera, the IFRC undersecretary general for national society development and operations coordination, discussed ways to enhance cooperation.

During the meeting, Alishvandi elaborated on IRCS capabilities in various fields of sanitary, treatment, rehabilitation, rescue and relief, logistics, education, volunteers, youth, climate change, crescent houses, mass gathering management, textile production, medical organizations, and many other things.

Castellanos Mosquera, for his part, acknowledging that the IRCS is one of the strongest members of the IFRC, said the IRCS could be a role model for other societies.

"Hygiene and medical services provided during Arbaeen and Hajj pilgrimages and other mass gathering management are totally unique," he said.

MT/MG