Iranian Red Crescent: “Israel” Targeted Civilians, Aid Workers and Medical Infrastructure

By Staff, Agencies

The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society [IRCS], Pirhossein Kolivand, has condemned the “Israeli” entity’s military campaign against Iran for disproportionately targeting civilians and humanitarian personnel, in direct violation of international law.

“The greatest harm has been inflicted on civilians. Among the martyrs are 126 women and 41 children—none of whom were combatants,” Kolivand said on Monday during a joint press conference with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.

He also revealed that five Red Crescent relief workers were killed after being “directly targeted,” and an ambulance was deliberately set on fire.

Kolivand further disclosed that a Red Crescent helicopter was struck during the attacks, calling it a flagrant breach of the Four Geneva Conventions. “No one has the right to attack medical personnel or civilians. Our mission is search and rescue; we exist to aid the people, yet we were deliberately obstructed and attacked,” he emphasized.

According to Kolivand, the IRCS has submitted official reports documenting these violations to the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC], the UN Human Rights Council, and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court [ICC]. He noted that the ICRC representative in Iran personally accompanied him to inspect the targeted sites, including Evin Prison and food production facilities in Hamedan.

“The intensive care unit of Farabi Hospital was also attacked—I showed them all this evidence, emphasizing that these are clear violations of the Geneva Conventions,” he said. “Our headquarters was directly attacked twice. Around the world, medical facilities are marked with ‘No Honking’ signs—yet here, they were hit with missiles, spreading terror.”

Kolivand warned of the global implications of allowing such crimes to go unpunished. “Many of my international counterparts have reached out to express solidarity and denounce the aggression. The world must recognize this—what crime is worse than targeting those trying to save lives?”

The 12-day war began on June 13, when the “Israeli” regime launched an unprovoked military assault on Iran, assassinating senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. The attacks also struck military and nuclear facilities, media infrastructure, healthcare centers, prisons, and civilian residential areas. More than 900 civilians were martyred, according to Iranian sources.

In response, Iran’s armed forces, led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards [IRG], launched Operation Truthful Promise III—an unprecedented retaliatory campaign that saw hundreds of domestically built ballistic missiles and drones overwhelm “Israeli” air defenses. Iranian strikes targeted critical military, intelligence, industrial and energy infrastructure across the occupied Palestinian territories.

On June 24, facing operational failure and international isolation, the “Israeli” regime declared a unilateral halt to its aggression. The ceasefire was announced on its behalf by US President Donald Trump.