Iranian_Red_Crescent_Society
Iranian Red Crescent Society
Non-governmental organization for disaster relief based in Iran
The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), officially the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian: جمعیت هلال احمر جمهوری اسلامی ایران, romanized: Jamʿiyyat-e Helâl-e Ahmar-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân) is a non-governmental humanitarian organization in Iran.[1] Founded as the Red Lion and Sun Society in 1922,[4] it became affiliated with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 1924[6] and changed its name and emblem in 1980, informing the international community of Hilal Ahmar adoption[7] while assuming the right to adopt the former emblem in future.[1]
The society is one of the world's largest national societies within IFRC[4] and is noted for its special expertise in responding to earthquakes.[8]
Since inception, the IRCS has participated in a variety of public activities. Its core activity is to perform relief and rescue operations to help victims and the injured in natural disasters and accidents. It also engages a in wide range of humanitarian services in health and rehabilitation, training and research.[4] The society had a therapeutic approach and was regarded a major healthcare institution with thousands of hospital beds across the country until 1979, when all of its medical facilities were transferred to the Ministry of Health.[1]
IRCS is an example of strong national societies that play an important role domestically[8] and is held in high esteem by the Iranian general public.[4]