Pakistan’s first C-130 aircraft, carrying relief goods for flood victims in Iran, landed in the Ahwaz city on Wednesday, with another plane set to leave tomorrow, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released today.
Riffat Masood, Islamabad’s Ambassador to Tehran handed over more than 32 tons of relief material – including blankets, tents and medical kits – to the Iranian officials, on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On Sunday, PM Khan announced plans to offer full humanitarian assistance to Iran which has seen several towns and villages impacted by the floods, even as experts forecast more rains in the next few days.
“Our prayers go to the people of Iran as they deal with unprecedented flooding,” Khan said in a tweet on Sunday. “We stand ready to provide any humanitarian assistance required.”
On Monday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to convey a message of solidarity on behalf of the government and the Pakistani people, in addition to informing him of PM Khan's plans to send two planes with relief material as a goodwill gesture.
“The relief assistance by Pakistan would aim at meeting some of the urgent needs of the flood-affected population in Iran,” excerpts from the Foreign Office statement read.
According to official figures, the floods have claimed 70 lives and impacted nearly 400,000 people.
Additionally, reports indicate that the country’s southern parts have suffered the most in the wake of the natural disaster, with rising waters in the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan forcing authorities to expedite evacuation methods.
On Sunday, PM Khan announced plans to offer full humanitarian assistance to Iran which has seen several towns and villages impacted by the floods, even as experts forecast more rains in the next few days.
“Our prayers go to the people of Iran as they deal with unprecedented flooding,” Khan said in a tweet on Sunday. “We stand ready to provide any humanitarian assistance required.”
On Monday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to convey a message of solidarity on behalf of the government and the Pakistani people, in addition to informing him of PM Khan's plans to send two planes with relief material as a goodwill gesture.
“The relief assistance by Pakistan would aim at meeting some of the urgent needs of the flood-affected population in Iran,” excerpts from the Foreign Office statement read.
According to official figures, the floods have claimed 70 lives and impacted nearly 400,000 people.
Additionally, reports indicate that the country’s southern parts have suffered the most in the wake of the natural disaster, with rising waters in the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan forcing authorities to expedite evacuation methods.
U.S. sanctions have prevented the Iranian Red Crescent from obtaining any foreign financial aid to assist victims of flooding that has killed at least 70 people and inundated some 1,900 communities, the group said on Sunday.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that Washington was ready to help via the Red Cross and Red Crescent, but accused Iran’s clerical establishment of “mismanagement in urban planning and in emergency preparedness”.“No foreign cash help has been given to the Iranian Red Crescent society. With attention to the inhuman American sanctions, there is no way to send this cash assistance,” the Red Crescent said in a statement.It said the group had received some non-financial help from abroad which had been distributed to flood victims.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week that U.S. sanctions - reimposed after Washington quit a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers - were impeding aid efforts to flood-stricken towns and villages.“Blocked equipment includes relief choppers: This isn’t just economic warfare; it’s economic TERRORISM,” he said on Twitter.The flood disaster, arising from exceptionally heavy rainfall since March 19, has left aid agencies struggling to cope and seen 86,000 people moved to emergency shelters.The government has told citizens, and especially flood-affected farmers, that all losses will be compensated.Iran’s state budget is already stretched under U.S. sanctions on energy and banking sectors that have halved its oil exports and restricted access to some revenues abroad.ran acted on Saturday to evacuate more towns and villages threatened by floods after continued rain in the southwest.
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