On the occasion of the Iranian Red Crescent's visit to Geneva on August 9th, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) wishes to express its continued support for - and solidarity with - the Iranian Red Crescent in their deep concerns about the kidnapping of its delegation in Libya last month.

On Tuesday, 31 July, at 1am, seven members of the Iranian Red Crescent on an official visit to Libya were taken by force in Benghazi by armed men. The delegation was on its way to a hotel and was being transported in a Libyan Red Crescent vehicle. The delegation was asked to step out of the car and was taken to vehicles belonging to a group of armed people, and then transported to an unknown location.

In close contact with the Libyan Red Crescent, the Iranian Red Crescent and the ICRC, the IFRC hopes for a quick, humanitarian resolution to this crisis.