Iran offers relief, medical aid to quake-hit Turkey

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN (AA) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday offered condolences to Turkey after an earthquake in the Aegean Sea killed at least 26 people.

At least 830 people were also injured when a magnitude 6.6 earthquake jolted Izmir region on the Turkish Aegean on Friday.

In a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rouhani expressed readiness to send relief and medical aid to the people in earthquake-hit Izmir.

"The earthquake in Izmir that killed and injured many dear people of that region has pained us deeply," Rouhani said.

"The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran declares its readiness to send any kind of relief and medical aid and assistance to the people in the earthquake-hit areas," he said.

Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) units in the provinces of Tehran, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardebil and Kurdistan have been asked to remain on standby, officials said.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister expressed his “deep sympathy” over the tragic incident, in a message to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. He also informed Cavusoglu of Iran's readiness to "provide any kind of assistance" to Turkey after the quake.