Iran first of few countries to help Syria during earthquake: Syria FM
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Syria's Foreign Minister underlines that Iran was one of the few first countries to stand by the Syrian people in light of the recent earthquake that hit the country.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad speaks during a joint news conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Damascus, Syria, March 9, 2023 (Reuters)
Iran was one of the first countries that sharted the search and rescue operations in the wake of the earthquake that hit the country in early February, and from there, the first aid aircraft arrived in Syria, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Thursday.
The Syrian top diplomat said Thursday during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abollahian that Syria and Iran's stances were identical regarding international issues and the latest developments in the world.
The two countries underlined their condemnation and rejection of the turbine project in the occupied Syrian Golan, as well as all the Israeli occupation's crimes against Palestinians.
Finally, the Syrian foreign minister concluded by highlighting that the western coercive illegal measures imposed on Syria hindered Damascus' efforts to address the repercussions of the earthquake.
Amir-Abdollahian, on the other hand, said: "We are satisfied with the positive development in the regional and international stances regarding Syria and the restoration of its important role in the region."
"We condemn the recurrent Israeli attacks on Syrian territories that violate the UN charter," the Iranian top diplomat said.
He also called for respecting the country's territorial integrity and the withdrawal of foreign forces illegally present on its lands.
Amir-Abdollahian also demanded the immediate removal of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria and providing humanitarian aid to it away from any politicization.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) announced in early February that it was sending field hospitals to Syria and Turkey to help those who survived the devastating earthquake that struck both countries.
"We are currently sending field hospitals to Syria and Turkey to help those affected by the earthquake in both countries," Iranian Red Crescent Society President Pir-Hossein Kolivand told Russian news agency Sputnik.
"We will stand by the side of those affected by the earthquake in Syria and Turkey, as well as by the side of our colleagues in the Red Crescent and the Red Cross in both countries so long as we are needed," he added.
According to the IRCS chief, Iran has so far sent relief equipment and food supplies to those afflicted by the earthquake. "We have also sent search and rescue teams, and they are currently carrying out their duties in the areas hit by the earthquake."
The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, visited Aleppo, one of the cities most impacted by the earthquake.
Video footage showed the commander of the Quds Force visiting a shelter housing for those damaged by the earthquake and assuring the families in the facilities. He also inspected Iranian aid, which was one of the first to arrive in Syria.
Iran's Foreign Ministry urged various countries to exert pressure on the US government to lift the cruel siege of Syria so that international humanitarian aid can be delivered to the quake-stricken people without any obstacles and in the shortest possible time.
Following the earthquakes, several Western countries mobilized rapidly to send aid and rescue workers to Turkey but decided to exclude Syria and neglect it, by only offering condolences and merely expressing readiness to support the affected Syrians, with nothing done on the ground, in a clear show of double standards, and Iran was one of the first few to stand by the Syrian people.
