In Iran, UNHCR has had a longstanding and uninterrupted presence in the country, including in the field. As such, UNHCR retains a minimum emergency stock at its warehouse inside the country in the case of an emergency. This allows UNHCR to respond immediately in supporting the Government of Iran at early stages when emergencies and natural disasters struck the country.

For non-refugee emergency situations such as natural disasters, UNHCR plays an active role in the United Nationals Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) in the country, led by the Resident Coordinator Office and UNOCHA, in shaping a coordination mechanism in case of natural disasters.

Upon official request by the Government from the UN for support -on humanitarian grounds- taking into consideration UNHCR’s in-country capacity and the non-discriminatory response of the Government vis-a-vis refugees and nationals during natural disasters, once required, UNHCR complements the efforts of the Government in the provision of core relief items in response to natural disasters.