Over 7,200 rescued from rubble in Iran during US-Israeli imposed war: official

More than 7,250 people were pulled from the rubble alive in Iran during the 40-day war launched by the United States and Israel, an Iranian rescue official has said.

This photo taken on March 1, 2026 shows thick smoke in Tehran, Iran. (Photo: Xinhua)

Head of Iran's Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Pirhossein Kolivand made the remarks at a ceremony in Tehran on Thursday, where new rescue and relief vehicles and equipment were delivered to the organization, the Iranian Labour News Agency reported.

Kolivand attributed the rescue achievement to using modern equipment in operations.

He described the development of the IRCS's fleet and equipment in recent years as "unprecedented," adding that the organization has over six million volunteer members nationwide.

Demonstrators holding placards take part in a May Day rally in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on May 1, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

A temporary ceasefire was reached in April, though the United States and Iran exchanged multiple strikes afterward.

Speaking at a press conference in New York late last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said more than 5,000 people, including hundreds of women and children, were killed in the U.S. and Israeli "aggression" against Iran.