UNICEF Iran trains health officials to handle urban conflict emergencies

Health officials across Iran received special training to better prepare for and respond to emergencies that happen during urban conflicts.

The first-ever National Workshop on Urban Warfare and Health System Preparedness took place from October 4 to 9, 2025. It was a joint effort by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), and Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

What was the workshop about?

This training is part of UNICEF's Conflict Preparedness Initiative. The main goal is to make sure Iran’s health system can quickly and effectively respond to emergencies rooted in urban conflict situations.

Fifty health officials and emergency coordinators from hospitals and health network attended the five-day workshop. They learned how to:

• Plan and prepare for conflict situations.
• Keep essential health services running even during a crisis.
• Handle the high demand for emergency care and extra health services during urban warfare situations.
• Build a stronger, more resilient health system that can bounce back quickly.

Next steps

This workshop was the first of four planned events. Two more training sessions will be held in the coming months, followed by a special "Training of Trainers" (ToT) workshop. This will create a group of experts who can then train more health staff across the country.