WHO condemns attacks on hospitals and medical staff in Iran

The WHO has raised the alarm over hospital attacks and injured medics during Iran’s unrest, according to The New Arab plus agencies on January 29th.

The World Health Organisation has verified that a hospital in Iran was attacked during recent unrest, while several other medical facilities suffered damage, resulting in injuries amongst medical personnel, the organisation’s chief said on January 29th.

“I am deeply concerned by multiple reports of health personnel and medical facilities in Iran being impacted by the recent insecurity, and prevented from delivering their essential services to people requiring care,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X. He also referred to incidents involving medical staff, citing cases of “health workers assaulted, and at least five doctors detained, while treating injured patients”.

“I call for the release of any health worker in detention. Healthcare personnel should never face intimidation,” he added.

Demonstrations that began in late December 2025 over worsening economic conditions quickly expanded into nationwide protests against the Iranian government, with large-scale rallies taking place earlier this month. Human rights organisations claim that security forces have carried out a deadly crackdown, taking advantage of widespread internet restrictions. Iranian officials have rejected those accusations, arguing that the violence was driven by “rioters” backed by the United States and Israel.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the United States, said it has verified the deaths of 6,373 people and reported that more than 40,000 individuals have been detained. Rights groups monitoring the situation warn that the true figures are likely to be higher, as limited internet access has made independent verification increasingly difficult.

Details about the situation inside Iran’s healthcare sector remain scarce. However, Ghebreyesus said the WHO had confirmed “that the Khomeini Hospital, in the western city of Ilam, came under attack earlier in January”. He added that “violence was reported inside and around the facility following the transfer of injured people to the hospital,” noting that “medical services and supplies were disrupted and affected.”

The WHO chief also said the UN agency had documented damage to “multiple health facilities” nationwide, including 10 emergency response posts. According to his statement, more than 50 paramedics were injured and over 200 ambulances were damaged during the protests.

“Tear gas was also reportedly used at Sina Hospital in Tehran,” he said, warning that “the recent crisis, according to reports, has strained the health system.”

Ghebreyesus stated that protecting hospitals and medical staff must remain a priority, saying it was “imperative that health facilities are protected and be able to deliver their critical health services in an unimpeded manner.”

“This is fundamental to the provision of health care required by all people who need services, especially during times of crisis,” he said. The WHO Secretary-General also stressed that “healthcare should never be a target.”

The New Arab plus agencies, Maghrebi.org