Iran, Islamic Republic of
1.1 Iran Humanitarian Background
Home

Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

Natural Hazards

Type

Occurs

Comments / Details

Drought

Yes

Due to Iran's geographical and topographical features, shortage of rainfall and temperature, about 80% of Iran total area have arid or semiarid climate. Desertification and land degradation in Iran have accelerated during recent decades due to main factors which are population, more agricultural products by using land, overuse of woods and plants and irregular exploitation of water resources.

Earthquakes

Yes

In the UNDP report on reducing disaster risk, Iran is ranked number one in the list of countries with the largest average number of earthquakes per year with a magnitude equal to or greater than 5.5 on the Richter scale. It is also ranked one of the highest in terms of relative vulnerability and also in terms of the number of people killed per year as a result of earthquakes. The seismicity of Iran and its general vulnerability to earthquakes have been graphically and catastrophically illustrated by the Bam earthquake in December 2003, in which thousands of people were killed, and in May 2004 earthquake in the Alborz Mountains, an event that magnitude equal to or greater than 5.5 on the Richter shook Tehran and produced 155 aftershocks in three days. The particular geological setting of Iran means that it is particularly prone to shallow (<10 km deep) earthquakes. In the recent years, there have been some major earthquakes hit the north-west of Iran (Azerbaijan province) and south-east (Sistan & Baluchistan province). An earthquake registered 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred in Sistan & Baluchistan province in south-eastern of Iran on April 2013. On November 2017, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 occurred on the Iran-Iraq border which had 600 casualties on Iran and Iraq side.

Epidemics

Yes

Covid-19. Until July 2021 the country faced 5 Covid-19 waves and recorded 3,373,450 cases of infection and 85,859 fatal cases.

Extreme Temperatures

Yes

During Summer (25 June – 25 August), southern parts of Iran have an extreme hot temperature maximum 50 to 52 degrees centigrade. In some parts of Kerman province in some days the temperature increases up to 70 degrees centigrade.

Flooding

Yes

Torrential rain and storms cause flood in most parts of Iran during each year. It mostly causes severe damages to the villages, access roads, infrastructures of cities, agricultural lands & farms. The last flash flood occurred in Kerman province and affected the major cities of the province and caused damages to the villages. More than 2000 people relocated and most of the infrastructures were fully damaged.

Heavy rains and flash flooding that began in March 2019 have affected 23 of 31 provinces across Iran. The flooding has killed 70 people and injured 613 people according to the authorities. It is estimated that 12.5 million people have been affected. Initial information indicates that 170,000 people in two provinces have been displaced. While information regarding humanitarian needs is still limited, the most affected sectors are reportedly in water, sanitation and hygiene, health, shelter and agriculture.

Insect Infestation

Yes

Each year Iran faces locust infestation in the southern provinces. Between 400 to 600 thousand hectares of Iran lands gets affected by the locust infestation.

Wildfires

Yes

Wildfires in several natural habitats of Iran each year destroys thousands of hectares of Iran jungles. From 2011 to 2018 near 125,000 hectares of Iran jungles are destroyed by fire.

High Winds

Yes

Every year, During Spring (Feb – end of April) there are seasonal high winds in south-eastern parts of Iran especially Sistan - Balouchistan province near to the Pakistan border and southern parts of Kerman. 

Other Comments

N/A

Man-Made Issues

Civil Strife

 Yes

From 2018 to 2021 several protests happened against the expensive living costs and unfair payment conditions. Most of the protests were peaceful but in several cases it also turned to civil unrest.

International Conflict

Yes

After the exit of US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on May 2018, the international relations of Iran with western countries deteriorated and on 2019 and 2020 resulted to several conflicts between Iran and US. In 2021 Iran and JCPOA members started a new session of negotiations for the revival of JCPOA.

Internally Displaced Persons

Yes

Due to the droughts in the recent years and lack of water in the villages have resulted lots of families to leave villages and move to main cities. It is expected that in the next 30 years, lots of people will leave south and south east of Iran due to drought.  

Refugees Present

Yes

Despite efforts to facilitate the repatriation of refugees living in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a significant number of refugee households continue to require humanitarian support. In 2012, 840,500 Afghan refugees and 45,000 refugees from Iraq were registered in Iran. Although the majority of the refugees live in urban areas, about 30,000 live in 20 refugee settlements, with very limited livelihood options.

Landmines / UXO Present

Yes

In areas near the border with Iraq there are landmines remaining from the 1980s during the Iran/Iraq war. 

Other Comments

 N/A

 

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile.

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

Seasonal Effects on Transport

Transport Type

Time Frame

Comments / Details

Primary Road Transport

November to February 

The mountainous regions in the northern and western part of the country are affected by snowfalls. This increases the risk of accidents and slows down traffic. During that season the vehicles are equipped with chains, which are used if and when necessary. The road maintenance services are equipped with snow ploughs. 

Secondary Road Transport

November to February

Roads leading to Afghan & Iraqi refugee camps are affected by snowfalls. Tehran-Qazvin-Zanjan-Tabriz highway (main route to west-north west of Iran) is mostly covered by snow during the wintertime. Furthermore, the side roads, destined to the refugee settlements in west of Iran (Uromiyeh-Kermanshah/Zanjan-Sardasht), are also affected by cold weather of winter

Rail Transport

May to August

Lack of wagons due to less importation of cotton from CIS countries to Iran. During Sep to April more wagons are available. Also, during Iranian new year (March) there might be wagon congestion or less availability of wagons. Priority is being given to passengers rather than cargo.

Air Transport

25 Sep to end of October (Hadj period)

Whole year for Najaf

Tehran has two main airports, Mehrabad and Imam Khemeini (IKA). Mehrabad is located inside Tehran and using for domestic flights and Hadj. IKA is using for international flights. During Hadj time there is congestion in Mehrabad Airport and recently in IKA (Imam Khomeini Airport) for airlines to Najaf. 

Waterway Transport


N/A

 

One of the main transit highways is from the southern ports (Bandar Abbas and Shahid Rajaiee Port) to Tehran. This main road starts from Bandar Abbas and passes through Kerman, Yazd, Isfahan and reaches Tehran at the northern side of Iran. Most cargos transit via this road (from port to customs and visa-versa) and during Iranian new year (March) there is congestions of trucks. In addition, this situation is similar in most of roads and provinces based on holyday travels of Iranian population (especially to north of Iran to Caspian Sea). As a Muslim country there are several travels to holy shrines via two main airports of Tehran. Mehrabad Domestic Airport is in congestion for travellers to Mashhad. 


Seasonal Effects on Storage and Handling

Activity Type

Time Frame

Comments / Details

Storage

N/A

No effects

Handling

N/A

No effects

Other

N/A

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The strengths in national capacity include the Comprehensive Plan of Relief and Rescue and institutions such as the Disaster Task Forces, the “auxiliary provinces”, and the existing role/responsibility framework. 

In 2008 under the new National Disaster Management Law passed by the Parliament, the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO) was formed in order to utilize the national, regional and local capacities to cope with the disasters triggered by natural hazards as well as creating an integrated management system for planning and coordinating executive activities in a cohesive manner. It is also tasked to achieve concentrated information dissemination and supervision over different phases of disaster management as well as recovery of disaster-stricken areas has been another objective of the establishment of NDMO. The objectives of NDMO are to be achieved by utilizing the entire required potentials and means pertaining to ministries, governmental and public institutions and private sector, banks, and insurance companies, military forces, non–governmental institutes, Islamic councils, municipalities, public associations, and organizations in the country.

In order to coordinate the activities of the organizations and institutions affiliated to the legislative, executive and judiciary organs, the Armed Forces and the other institutions and agencies for enacting of regulations and standards governing the four phases of disaster management, the Supreme Council of the National Disaster Management Organization was formed. The Supreme Council is chaired by the President of the country and its membership includes 13 Ministers, the Mayor of Tehran, the Commander of Armed Forces, one of the deputies of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (the Parliament), the first deputy of the Judiciary, the heads of Management and Planning Organizations, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Corporation, the heads of Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, the head of the State Meteorological Organization, the head of Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution, as well as the Head of NDMO.

A Disaster Management Coordination Council has been also formed under the chairmanship of the NDMO Head and membership of the representatives deputizing the related organizations and organs in order to coordinate activities regarding the four phases of disaster management including prevention and risk reduction, preparedness, emergency response and recovery. The Disaster Management Coordination Council at provincial level is formed under the chairmanship of Governor Generals and Governors in the provinces and cities respectively. Its membership includes the entire related organizations.

Tehran Disaster Management Organization (TDMO), affiliated to the Municipality of Tehran, is the focal point for managing and coordinating all those issues related to the probable natural disasters threatening city of Tehran. There are 300 neighbourhood established in all 22 districts of Tehran as the evacuation places for the state of emergency.

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Iran Government Contact List.

Humanitarian Community

Ministries: Each ministry based on its mandate is the custodian to provide the humanitarian services to the public. Ministries have an international affair section that are responsible for coordinating the humanitarian projects with UN agencies and INGOS.

NDMO: The National Disaster Management Organisation is the custodian of responding to disasters. In case of necessity, it will coordinate the humanitarian support between different national organisations such as IRCS, military forces, NGOs and also international aids that would be provided by UN and INGOs.

IRCS: The Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently the country's main humanitarian organisation and one of 190 members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It has branches in the entire country, and it is the first responder to disasters. It has thousands of human recourses consisting of hundreds of volunteers and it has a well-equipped fleet consisting of different types of cars, trucks and helicopters. International humanitarian organisations have a close collaboration with IRCS and in the time of natural disasters, usually international in-kind donations would be submitted to IRCS or would be handed over to beneficiaries by the support of IRCS.

UN agencies: Resident Coordinator office in Tehran as the head of the country team (UNCT), the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) guides and supports the work of the UNCT, ensuring effective coordination and cooperation within the mandates of each UN entity. UNHCR is the biggest UN agency in Iran with the main office in Tehran and sub offices in Kerman, Shiraz and Mashhad cities.  Rest of the UN agencies only have one office in Tehran. Coordination of humanitarian projects for UN agencies is coordinated by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and based on the nature of each project and with the facilitation of MFA, the would be connected to each ministry. Current list of UN entities in Iran inlcudes: FAO, IOM, OCHA, UN-HABITAT, UNAIDS, UNAMA, UNAMI, UNDP, UNDSS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIC, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNODC, WFP and WHO.

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Islamic Republic of Iran works in partnership with the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and other Iranian organizations and bodies in the fields of tracing, physical rehabilitation and international relief efforts.

INGOS: Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Relief International are the two main international NGOs in Iran that provide different humanitarian supports to refugees and local people in Iran.

BAFIA: Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) works as part of the Ministry of Interior and is responsible for management and coordination of all affairs that are related to refuges, including the international helps. All UN agencies and INGOs that are providing humanitarian support for refugees, will be coordinated by BAFIA.


Jump to top