Iran thanks India for first medical aid as war enters day 19

As the Iran war entered its 19th day on Wednesday (March 18), Iran received the first shipment of medical aid from India.

Iran expressed gratitude after the consignment reached the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Calling the gesture “kind”, the Embassy of Iran in India said, “The first shipment of medical aid from the esteemed people of India has been delivered to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. We sincerely thank the kind people of India.”

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The Embassy also shared footage of the aid on social media and posted official bank account details for donations. India has, in recent years, emerged as a notable provider of humanitarian assistance to other countries.

According to Iran’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, more than 1,300 people have been killed and over 7,000 injured since the conflict began on February 28.

As of March 18, the casualties in Iran are at least 1,444 people, and over 18,551 injured, according to Iran's Ministry of Health.

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On Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry announced it would provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq to "alleviate the humanitarian plight" caused by the war.

World Health Organization (WHO) officials said Iran’s healthcare system remains largely functional despite the challenges. “Primary healthcare and health infrastructure are robust, and they can accommodate casualties as of now,” WHO Regional Director Hanan Balkhy told Reuters.

Oil tanker reaches India

Meanwhile, Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki has reached Mundra port in Gujarat after sailing safely from Fujairah in the UAE, despite an attack on the terminal, taking the total number of vessels transiting the conflict-hit zone to four.

Previously, LPG carrier Shivalik reached Mundra on Monday while another LPG tanker Nanda Devi reached Kandla port in Gujarat early on Tuesday morning. The two ships carried about 92,712 tonne of LPG - equivalent to a day's requirement of cooking gas in the country.

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Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke out following US-Israel attacks on Iran. Of these, 24 were on the west side of the strait and 4 on the east side. In the last one week, two vessels from each side have managed to sail to safety.

Of the 24 Indian-flagged vessels, 22 are on the west side of the strait with 611 seafarers onboard, while two are on the east side.

Of the 22 remaining Indian-flagged vessels on the west side of the Strait of Hormuz, six are LPG carriers, one is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, four are crude oil tankers, one is transporting chemical products, three are container ships, and two are bulk carriers. Additionally, one vessel is a dredger, another is empty with no cargo, and three are in dry dock undergoing routine maintenance.

(With agency inputs)