Earthquake and Humanitarian Aid in Interactions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States

The humanitarian relationship between the United States and Iran during earthquakes, despite the extensive diplomatic challenges, is a complex and contradictory pattern of “disaster diplomacy.” Following major earthquakes in Iran—such as the Sar-e-Pul-e-Zahab earthquake of 2017—the United States has offered technical assistance, equipment, and manpower, and has sometimes temporarily relaxed sanctions to facilitate relief efforts. This assistance has generally been channeled through NGOs or the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and has been less direct and bilateral. This assistance has sometimes improved the atmosphere for dialogue momentarily—for example, the exchange of messages through the Swiss side in the Bam earthquake—but it has never led to a lasting dialogue or a major diplomatic opening. Deep mistrust and macro-geopolitical issues—such as the nuclear program, regional patronage, sanctions—quickly overshadowed any temporary warmth and returned relations to their previous hostile state. This paradox (offering aid on the one hand and creating structural obstacles on the other) has meant that US aid has often taken a ceremonial form and has had limited operational impact. In the absence of strong political will, stable institutional mechanisms and fundamental trust-building, these moments of cooperation can rarely become a bridge to resolve geopolitical differences.