Médecins Sans Frontières - ENG - Iran MSF Head of Mission

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSF365786

Date taken / Date Recorded 23/04/2026 8:59 AM

Country Iran

Commissioning section MSF-SWITZERLAND

Copyright MSF

Usage Rights (MSF) External Media, MSF Fundraising, MSF Publications, Social Media

Formal Consent Copy available no

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

Video format h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661)

Duration 1m25s

Maximum Size 1080px × 1920px 198.88 MB

Additional Information / Shotlist SRT file: MSF365756

TEHRAN, Iran

Grigor Simonyan
MSF Head of Mission, Iran

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I am in South Tehran,
in the MSF clinic right now,

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where we have
expanded our activities,

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providing primary
healthcare.

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This is often
the most neglected part

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of the healthcare situation
during emergencies,

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as Ministry of Health
and other health actors

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are focusing on critical cases,
surgeries, et cetera.

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00:00:20,933 --> 00:00:22,833
Since the ceasefire,

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numbers of consultations
have significantly increased,

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I would say even doubled.

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And we are doing over
250 consultations per day.

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As the situation
is very uncertain,

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they don't know how
the situation's going to evolve.

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They choose to come to
the clinic while there is a ceasefire.

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Due to sanctions,
Iranian healthcare so far

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has been very
reliant on locally

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manufactured medicine,
medical equipment.

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However, during the conflict,

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what we also witnessed was
targeting of the pharma industry,

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putting heavy pressure
on public health in the country.

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Since the beginning
of the conflict,

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we tried to reorganize
our activities

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00:01:01,065 --> 00:01:05,299
and address the emergency
situation that the country is facing.

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00:01:05,299 --> 00:01:08,799
MSF has donated
medical kits for pediatrics,

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00:01:08,799 --> 00:01:10,932
surgery,
emergency response,

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as well as outpatient
and inpatient care.

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00:01:14,066 --> 00:01:15,965
Hygiene kits and
other non-food items

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have also been donated
for distribution for populations

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that have been affected
and displaced during the conflict.