Tajikistan Sends 3,610 Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Iran Amid Ongoing Conflict

Dushanbe, March 18: In a significant gesture of support, Tajikistan dispatched 3,610 tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Iran, who are enduring continuous conflict. The aid was delivered in a convoy of 110 trucks on Wednesday.

The Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the shipment includes 45 tons of medicines, a large quantity of hygiene products, children’s clothing, various food items, household goods, bedding, tents, construction materials, and other essential supplies.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), preliminary assessments last week indicated that between 600,000 to 1 million families, representing approximately 3.2 million individuals, have been temporarily displaced due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.

The UNHCR’s Emergency and Program Support Director, who is also the Cross-Regional Refugee Response Coordinator for the Middle East, noted that most of these individuals are fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas to the northern regions and rural areas of the country in search of safety. As the conflict persists, this number is expected to rise, highlighting a concerning increase in humanitarian needs. Refugee families residing in Iran, particularly those from Afghanistan, are also affected, facing heightened vulnerability due to an already unstable situation and limited assistance. The rising insecurity and restricted access to essential services are driving families to leave the impacted areas.

Furthermore, it was reported that Iran, which has been hosting around 1.65 million refugees (primarily from Afghanistan), saw nearly 100,000 people leave Tehran within the first two days following the recent U.S.-Israel attacks.

Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, claimed that at least 1,332 Iranian civilians, including women and children, have been killed in the U.S.-Israel airstrikes, with thousands more injured. During a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York earlier this month, Iravani mentioned that over 180 children have died nationwide, and more than 20 schools have been damaged.

–