40-tonne medicine shipment for Iran stuck in Delhi after airstrike disrupts airlift

A 40-tonne consignment of medicines procured in India by the Iranian mission remains stranded in New Delhi, after an airstrike damaged the aircraft scheduled to transport the supplies, leaving the embassy racing to find an alternative route.

The shipment, purchased using donations in India amid the ongoing conflict, was to be airlifted by a Mahan Air plane. However, the aircraft was hit in an airstrike at Mashhad airport last week, disrupting the planned transfer.

“The plane that was attacked by US-Israeli forces was scheduled to land in New Delhi to collect the 40-tonne cargo of medicines that the embassy had bought. We are now trying to figure out an alternative arrangement, which is not easy in these circumstances,” an official said.

The stalled consignment is the largest of its kind so far, underscoring the urgency of medical needs in Iran as the conflict intensifies. Earlier, smaller batches of medicines were routed to Tehran via Armenia, but officials say replicating that pathway for such a large shipment poses logistical challenges.

“Two smaller batches of medicines bought in India were earlier sent to Tehran through the Armenian route. This would have been the biggest shipment of medicines, which is what the country urgently needs,” the official said.

The urgency has been compounded by reported strikes on pharmaceutical facilities in Iran in recent days, raising fears of acute shortages. The embassy has been relying on funds collected in India to procure essential medicines to bridge the gap.

On March 30, the Iranian embassy, citing Tehran’s civil aviation organization, described the attack on the aircraft as “a war crime and a clear violation of international law,” stating that it was carrying medicines and medical equipment.

Sources in New Delhi confirmed that Iran had sought and received permission to use funds raised in India to purchase medicines. While the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations does not explicitly address fundraising by foreign missions, it obliges host countries to facilitate banking access, officials noted.

With the primary air route now disrupted, the fate of the 40-tonne lifeline hangs in balance, even as the need for medical supplies in Iran grows more pressing by the day.