US Condoles with Iran over Deadly Earthquake

In a statement on Monday, US State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, “The United States expresses its sincere condolences to all of those affected by the earthquake in Iran and Iraq.”

“We keep the families of those who were killed, and injured, in our thoughts as well as the communities that have suffered damage to homes and property,” she added.

Earlier on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah condoled with Iran over the tragedy.

Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, Irish President Michael Higgins, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini were among other high-ranking officials who offered sympathy to the Iranian nation.

In a message on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appreciated the messages of sympathy.
“Heartbreaking images from the earthquake damage and loss of life in Kermanshah (and in Iraq). We are grateful for global expressions of sympathy and offers of assistance. For now, we can manage with our own resources. Many thanks for all offers and we will keep you posted,” he tweeted.