Iran interim country strategic plan (2018-2023)

ICSP approved at EB November 2017 session.

Revision 03 approved by CD in April 2019 

Revision 04 approved by CD in October 2019 

Revision 05 approved by the CD in June 2020.

Revision 06 approved by the RD in November 2020

Revision 07 approved by the CD in December 2021.

Revision 08 approved by the CD in December 2022.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is an upper-middle-income country that has hosted large numbers of refugees for more than 30 years. In the past decade, Iran has made substantial progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and has been involved in discourse on meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the country has made satisfactory progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2, and zero hunger has not been identified as a priority intervention area in the National Development Plan or as an area of United Nations and government cooperation in the recently approved United Nations Development Assistance Framework (2017–2021), after consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a zero hunger strategic review was not deemed necessary.

However, the Government regards assistance to refugees as an important intervention area for WFP, especially with regard to enhancing assistance to refugees living in settlements and receiving free housing, health care and education support because of their extreme vulnerability.

This interim country strategic plan is based on consultations with the Government, humanitarian and development actors in Iran, donor representatives and refugees, building on reviews and assessments conducted between 2014 and 2016. WFP will contribute to improving the livelihoods and food security of the most vulnerable refugees in settlements within the framework of the regional Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, which was agreed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the governments of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in collaboration with WFP.

Building on its long-standing experience in assisting refugees in Iran, WFP will introduce a new cash component in this interim country strategic plan, to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its assistance and provide refugees with an opportunity to diversify their dietary intake.

By 2020, WFP will support refugees in settlements to meet their food needs, with special attention to supporting livelihood opportunities for women.

Iran is an earthquake-prone country that has suffered several massive earthquakes, including the devastating Boein Zahra earthquake of 1962 and the Bam earthquake of 2003. It also experienced large-scale arrivals of refugees in the 1980s and 1990s. Emergency preparedness is therefore incorporated into all WFP activities in the country.