WHO Chief Condemns Attacks on Health Workers and Hospitals in Iran Amid Brutal Crackdown
World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urgently called on Iranian authorities to stop assaults on hospitals and medical personnel during Tehran’s deadly suppression of nationwide protests, quoting «multiple reports» of violence against health facilities and workers.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Dr Tedros said that Khomeini Hospital in Ilam was attacked earlier this month, with violence inside and around the facility following the transfer of injured civilians. He added that dozens of paramedics have been hurt and more than 200 ambulances damaged in recent weeks, and tear gas was reportedly used inside Sina Hospital in Tehran.
Human rights groups and rights monitors have documented similar incidents in protests that began in late 2025 and escalated into one of the deadliest crackdowns in Iran’s modern history, with hospitals reportedly raided by security forces seeking wounded demonstrators.
«I call for the release of any health worker in detention,» Dr Tedros said, stressing that attacks on medical staff and facilities undermine global health norms and the protection of civilians in conflict.
Reports indicate that Iranian security forces have even monitored patient records and detained injured protesters in hospitals, deterring many from seeking medical care amid the ongoing violence.
The WHO’s appeal comes as international pressure on Tehran rises, including recent EU sanctions on Iranian authorities for human rights violations, and ongoing concerns over internet blackouts that have hindered independent verification of casualties and abuses.
