Copy in clipboard...
After 6,000 missions, IRCS head calls red crescent ‘symbol of trust’
Iran’s Red Crescent Society (IRCS) marked World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on Friday as its chief, Pirhossein Kolivand, hailed emergency responders for carrying out more than 6,000 rescue and relief missions during the recent war which started February 28, saying aid workers had emerged as a “symbol of trust, hope and calm” for the public.
In a message issued at the opening of Red Crescent Week, observed from May 8 to 14, Kolivand praised rescuers, volunteers and youth teams for maintaining round-the-clock operations in crisis zones and disaster-hit areas across the country, IRNA reported.
He said Red Crescent teams pulled 7,200 people from rubble and damaged buildings during missile strikes and wartime attacks, while the organization expanded its operational force from 70,000 to 110,000 personnel following emergency restructuring and the reinforcement of rapid-response units. Average response times, he added, were reduced to less than four minutes.
“Relief workers entered the most difficult and unpredictable scenes with responsibility, courage and self-sacrifice,” Kolivand said, describing their field presence as an “irreplaceable” pillar of social reassurance during emergencies.
The remarks came as the humanitarian organization launched “Helal dar Meydan” (“Crescent in the Field”), a nationwide campaign featuring rescue drills, first-aid training stations, medical caravans and public service programs in cities across Iran.
Red Crescent Secretary General Meysam Afshar said this year’s programs would also include exhibitions documenting rescue operations during the recent war, the rollout of new smart rescue systems and meetings with international bodies including the World Food Programme and the United Nations Development Programme.
Kolivand also paid tribute to four Red Crescent members killed during the conflict, saying they had “sacrificed their lives in service to the people.”
The organization said more than 2,000 volunteer psychologists provided wartime counseling through Iran’s 4030 hotline, handling roughly 205,000 calls and delivering 16,000 hours of psychological support during the hostilities.
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is observed annually on May 8 to commemorate Swiss humanitarian Jean Henry Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.