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By Kayhan Life Staff
More than 50 Iranian doctors and healthcare professionals living abroad have appealed to the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the White House, and Doctors Without Borders, warning that Iran’s medical system is being used against its own people.
The letter describes a pattern of systematic violations of medical neutrality by Iranian security forces. These include removing wounded protesters from hospitals, intimidating and arresting healthcare workers, and seizing confidential patient records.
The signatories say these actions have made it dangerous for injured civilians to seek medical care. Some families later found out that detained patients had died or had to pay to get their loved ones’ bodies back. The group says these practices are serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and calls for strong international action to stop them.
Their letter, shown in full below, also urges efforts to break down the systems that allow these abuses. It also calls for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to be recognized as a representative voice for Iranians working toward free elections.
Iranian Medical & Healthcare Professionals (Diaspora)
Date: January 29, 2026
To the leaders and decision-makers of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), the White House, and Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), We, Iranian medical doctors and healthcare professionals residing outside Iran, submit this letter to express grave concern regarding systematic violations of the right to medical care and medical neutrality by the Islamic Republic regime, in breach of international humanitarian and human rights law.
We have received numerous credible reports that Iranian security forces, including the Islamic The Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has forcibly removed wounded protesters from hospitals and detained them. Medical staff who treated the injured have faced intimidation, arrest, and threats against their families, forcing many to remain unidentified.
Security forces have raided hospitals, removed post-surgical patients—especially those with gunshot wounds—accessed confidential medical records, and detained healthcare workers who refused to cooperate. In some cases, families later learned that their patients had died or were forced to pay to retrieve their bodies. Lethal force has been used against unarmed protesters nationwide, resulting in deaths and permanent injuries, including to children. These actions deter injured individuals from seeking medical care and constitute grave violations of medical neutrality and the Geneva Conventions.
We call on the United States to stand decisively with the Iranian people and to take serious action to end this brutal regime. We call for concrete measures to dismantle the structuresresponsible for these crimes, including the IRGC and Basij. We further urge recognition of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is a legitimate representative of the Iranian people during a transitional period leading to free and fair elections.
Signatories (Alphabetical by Last Name)
- Masoumeh Abbasi, Medizinischer Technologe für Radiologie (MTR), Germany
- Dr. Mohammad Ahadzadeh, Orthopedic Surgeon, Canada
- Dr. Reza Ahmadi, Radiooncology, Germany
- Dr. Fariba Akhavan, Family Medicine, USA
- Dr. Sima Alishavand, Immunologist, Canada
- Dr. Majid Ardakani, FRCPC, Pediatrician, Canada
- Dr. Saloumeh Asnaashari, Physician, USA
- Bita Banan, Nurse, Canada
- Dr. Ali Bani-Fatemi, MSc, PhD, Neurogenetics Research Associate, Canada
- Dr. Mazyar Bidar, Ophthalmologist, USA
- Dr. Hesam Borhani, MD, MBA, USA
- Dr. Neda Rouhi Brojeni, Internal Medicine, USA
- Dr. Roshanak Dehkordi, Family Medicine, USA
- Behnaz Dobakhti, Pharmacist, Canada
- Dr. Ehsan Dori, FRCPC, Psychiatry, Canada
- Dr. Hamid Ebadi, Neurologist, Canada
- Dr. Ahmad Emami, Family Medicine, USA
- Dr. Reza Emami, Psychiatrist, USA
- Dr. Rouzbeh Esfandiari, Nuclear Medicine Physician & Researcher, USA
- Afshin Ghodrati, MLT, Canada
- Negar Farshad Gohar, RPh, PharmD, Canada
- Dr. Nasim Heidari, Psychiatrist, RANZCP, Australia
- Dr. Siamak Honardar, CCFP, Canada
- Dr. Naghmeh Jafari, Physician, Australia
- Dr. Shahzad Jahromi, Occupational Medicine, USA
- Dr. Justin Kamkar, Family Medicine, USA
- Razieh Kazemi, Infusion Nurse, Canada
- Hooshang Lahooti, Associate Professor, Australia
- Dr. Negar Maghsoodi, MSc, FRCPath, Clinical Pathologist, United Kingdom
- Dr. Shahram Makoui, FAANS, USA
- Navid Milani, DDS, DMD, Canada
- Dr. Nazzi Mojibi, Pediatrician, USA
- Dr. Shahram Moosavi, FRCPC, Psychiatry, Canada
- Dr. Jila Mostafafardghasroddashti, Physician,
- Dr. Pouria Nouri, MD, MBA, Director of Compliance & Regulatory Affairs, Tenet Health, USA
- Dr. Shehab Parnianchi, Family Physician, USA
- Dr. Haleh Peiravi, CCFP, Canada
- Maryam Pourkazemi, MLA, Canada
- Dr. Behnoosh Rahavard, Interventional Pain Physician, USA
- Dr. Rahim Raoufi, Gastroenterologist, USA
- Azita Razazy, Midwife, Sweden
- Raheleh Razazy, Assistant Nurse, Sweden
- Dr. Pantea Rezaeian, FASPC, FAAFP, USA
- Dr. Mehri Rikhtegar-Sarfarazi, Clinical Neurophysiologist, MRCP (UK), United Kingdom
- Dr. Reza Rouhi, CCFP, FCFP, Canada
- Dr. Sina Safamanesh, Physician, USA
- Elnaz Safarinia, DDS, DMD, Canada
- Dr. Mahmood Sarfarazi, Nuclear Medicine, MRCP (UK), United Kingdom
- Dr. Hamid Shakeri, Ophthalmologist, Belgium
- Shahab Shakeri, MSc, MBA, Health Manager, Canadian Blood Services, Canada
- Shiva Taymourian, BScN, RN, Canada
- Dr. Mohammad Khatami Toussi, CCFP, Canada
- Dr. Maryam Yoosefi, MPH, CCFP, Canada
Corresponding Physician
Dr. Neda Rouhi Brojeni, Internal Medicine, USA
Email: [email protected]
