The Iranian Medical Council has appealed to the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the World Medical Association (WMA), demanding immediate action against the use of patients' lives as a tool for political and military pressure.
In an official letter to these three international organizations, the council stated that the US government is violating international humanitarian and criminal law through inhumane measures, including economic blockades and pharmaceutical sanctions against Iran, turning patients' lives into a means of political and military coercion.
Mohammad Raizadeh, head of the Iranian Medical Council, strongly urged leaders of international health organizations to respond promptly and responsibly to what he termed inhumane actions and the militarization of medical resources in armed conflicts.
He referenced previous reports of direct attacks on medical facilities, infrastructure, and pharmaceutical sites. Raizadeh also pointed to the US attack on the vessel 'Touska,' which was transporting medicine and vital supplies for dialysis patients, as another clear example of a direct threat to patients' health and lives.
Raizadeh emphasized that the Iranian medical community expects the WHO, WMA, ICRC, and other relevant international bodies to respond appropriately and responsibly to the use of medicines, medical facilities, medical cargo, and patients' lives as tools of war.
He also demanded the implementation of effective mechanisms to ensure safe, rapid, and unimpeded routes for the delivery of medicines, medical equipment, and pharmaceutical raw materials. The council head added that an adequate response from institutions whose primary task is to protect human health, life, and dignity would fulfill their moral and historical obligations to humanity.
Raizadeh warned that the Iranian medical community and people will not forget these events and will seek accountability for all those responsible for the actions, as well as those institutions that remained silent in the face of what happened, in accordance with international law.
As of March 27, data collected by the WHO, the Iranian Red Crescent, and national health authorities indicates a targeted erosion of medical neutrality. The total number of damaged or destroyed medical and humanitarian centers, including hospitals, pharmacies, and primary healthcare clinics, has reached 292.
These destructions have led to 13 hospitals ceasing operations entirely, while seven others were fully evacuated under pressure due to proximity to dangerous zones. Emergency response capabilities were further undermined by the destruction of 48 ambulances and rescue vehicles, as well as one medical helicopter.
Attacks on healthcare are systematic, not accidental. According to the Geneva Conventions and the UN Charter, medical personnel and facilities must be protected at all times unless used for military purposes. Nevertheless, verified reports indicate attacks by the US and Israel on medical facilities and the death of at least eight healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics in Iran.