Iran ready to receive int'l aid for quake victims

TEHRAN - Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi said Monday that the Islamic republic is ready to receive international aid for the quake-hit people of Iran's East Azerbaijan province, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Relatives mourn over the bodies which were recovered in the earthquake-stricken village of Varzaqan near Ahar, in the East Azerbaijan province, August 12, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Rahimi made the remarks in a press conference in Tabriz, the provincial capital of East Azerbaijan.

Iran has helped other countries in the face of disasters and now the country is ready to receive international aid for the victims of the earthquake, he was quoted as saying.

The semi-official ISNA news agency reported Monday that Iran has not accepted Turkey's rescue team which was sent to help the Iranian quake victims.

The rescue team from Turkey had been sent to Iran without coordination, and since Iran had already announced that it would not accept international help, Turkey's rescue team was returned to their country, ISNA quoted an official from the Red Crescent Society of East Azerbaijan province as saying.

Sadeq Namdar, director of Bazargan Customs Office in Iran's West Azerbaijan, said the first emergency supplies from Turkey's Red Crescent Society has been dispatched to Bazargan customs office bordering Turkey, according to IRNA.

Namdar told IRNA that the package is composed of 15 tons of foodstuffs, tents and heating equipment, which have been dispatched to the earthquake-stricken area in East Azerbaijan province.

IRNA news agency also reported Monday that the first consignment of humanitarian supplies has been dispatched by the Republic of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Emergency Situations to Iran' s quake-ravaged area.

The aid supply includes foodstuff such as flour, rice, sugar, cooking oil and pasta, as well as blankets and tents, according to IRNA.

A number of countries, including Turkey, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, have already offered help to the Islamic republic over the quake, but Iran's Red Crescent Society said it had dealt with the issue itself.

A 6.2-magnitude temblor, with a depth of 10 km, hit Ahar at 4: 53 pm local time (1223 GMT) Saturday, while another 6-magnitude earthquake, also with a depth of 10 km, struck nearby Varzaqan at 5:04 pm local time (1234 GMT), according to Iranian Seismological Center.

Iranian Health Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi said Monday that the death toll of Saturday's twin quakes in Northwest Iran has risen to 306, with 3,037 others injured, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.