Iran’s foreign minister expressed the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s (IRCS) readiness to assist the people harmed after the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
In a telephone conversation with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer on Wednesday, Hossein Amir abdollahian called for the political settlement of the conflict pitting Russia against Ukraine, saying Tehran is ready to cooperate with the International Red Cross in providing humanitarian assistance.
The Iranian foreign minister also stressed the importance of resolving the Ukraine crisis politically and said, “War is not a solution.”
Right after the conflict broke out, Iran began making efforts to support its citizens in Ukraine and set up a special committee in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve the humanitarian situation, he said, Press TV reported.
The top Iranian diplomat called for strengthening cooperation between the ICRC and the IRCS in this regard.
Maurer, for his part, briefed the Iranian foreign minister on his talks with the Russian and Ukrainian officials about the dispatch of humanitarian aid, the exchange of dead soldiers and the provision of access to prisoners of war.
The ICRC president said Ukraine is grappling with a tough and critical situation.
Amirabdollahian and Maurer agreed that medical and relief teams of the IRCS and the ICRC would be deployed in border areas to help the displaced.
They also discussed aid delivery in border areas of Ukraine and the humanitarian situation in Yemen and Afghanistan.
On 24 February, Russia started an all-out military operation in Ukraine after leaders of the self-proclaimed republic in the Donbass region called for assistance in the face of shelling by Kiev’s army. Moscow had just recognized the sovereignty of the breakaway republics.
According to UN estimates, at least one million Ukrainians have already fled to neighboring countries.
Source: Iranian media (edited by Al-Manar English Website)
