Red Cross plans more aid to Iran after first Türkiye cross-border delivery

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Tuesday it plans additional aid deliveries to Iran following the successful arrival of a first cross‑border shipment of medical supplies from Türkiye. IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa told reporters in Geneva that the convoy, which departed Ankara on Friday and entered Iran on Sunday, marked “one of the first cross‑border shipments of medical supplies since the start of the conflict.” The shipment, coordinated with the Turkish Red Crescent, included advanced trauma kits designed for immediate life‑saving care.

New Aid Corridor

Della Longa said humanitarian supply routes into Iran have been “severely disrupted,” forcing aid groups to transport supplies overland from eastern Türkiye. “Beyond the first shipment, we hope that this will be the start of getting more aid into Iran,” he said. “We have plans for further shipments, so this could prove to be an important aid corridor, since we don't know what will happen next and when more conventional routes will really open.” He described the operation as “a critical first step to support the Iranian Red Crescent's life‑saving activities.”

Funding Shortfall

The spokesperson noted that needs remain high, particularly in health and psychological support. The IFRC has raised its emergency appeal to 120 million Swiss francs (over $153 million) to scale up life‑saving assistance for 5 million people affected by the ongoing hostilities, but warned that the appeal remains significantly underfunded. The conflict, which began on 28 February, has killed more than 3,300 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, with a fragile two‑week ceasefire now in place.