Blocking aid to flood-hit Iran displays US malevolence: ِDefense minister
Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami says the United States’ attempts to block international humanitarian aid from entering flood-hit Iran lays bare America’s malevolence.
Addressing employees at the Defense Ministry in Tehran on Sunday, Brig. Gen. Hatami blasted the administration of US President Donald Trump for seeking to hinder shipments of relief supplies to the Iranian regions devastated by unprecedented floods.
“They (the Americans) once again demonstrated their malevolence and the depth of their enmity toward the great nation of the Islamic Iran,” he said. “They proved that — contrary to their media propaganda — they are not just opposed to the Islamic establishment but [are prepared to] inhibit the delivery of the most basic items needed to save the lives of flood-stricken people.”
According to the latest death tally provided by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), 70 people have died in the flash floods that affected 1,889 cities, villages, and mountainous roads in 31 provinces of Iran over the past weeks.
Iran’s Army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), voluntary groups, and locals have all mobilized to provide relief aid to the flood-hit areas.
Iran says the US has frozen the bank accounts of the IRCS as part of its unilateral sanctions against the Iranian people, making it almost impossible for foreign aid to reach the flood victims.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has described those US attempts as “economic terrorism.”
FAKE NEWS: @SecPompeo claim that US “ready to assist @ifrc, which would direct money through Iranian Red Crescent for relief”
REAL NEWS: As @ICRC President noted, Iranian Red Crescent can’t receive any funds due to illegal US sanctions. US should own up to its ECONOMIC TERRORISM pic.twitter.com/rFjVDdrc4O
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) April 2, 2019
German boats arrive, France to start aid dispatch
Meanwhile, a consignment of 40 boats donated by the German Red Cross have been delivered to the IRCS. The consignment also includes 281 special rescue equipment such as flood clothes, helmets, vests, boots, shoe, etc.
The boats and rescue equipment are expected to be sent to the southwestern province of Khuzestan.
Additionally, France’s Foreign Ministry has said that the country will send 12 tons of humanitarian aid material — including 114 pumps — to Iran’s flood-hit regions. It said the first shipment would be sent in the coming days.
