U.S., Iran Hold High Level Talks on Quake Relief

Yahoo! News ^ | December 28, 2003 | Reuters

[Pan_Yans Wife]

High level U.S. and Iranian officials put aside diplomatic differences to directly discuss humanitarian aid after the earthquake that killed tens of thousands of Iranians, a State Department official said on Saturday.

Spokesman Lou Fintor told reporters the discussion took place in a phone call between Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"Given the urgency of the situation we deemed direct contact to be the most appropriate channel," Fintor said.

The White House said earlier the United States would send government and civilian emergency workers and 150,000 pounds of medical supplies to Iran following the quake that razed much of the ancient Silk Road city of Bam and killed about 20,000 people.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said in a statement that the United States was working with Iranian authorities, the United Nations and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Washington broke relations with the Islamic republic after students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

President Bush (news - web sites), in his 2002 State of the Union speech, branded Iran as part of an "axis of evil." But the president offered condolences to the families of the dead and injured on Friday and promised the United States would provide humanitarian aid.

U.S. officials usually communicate with Tehran through intermediaries, often channeling messages through Swiss diplomats.

Fintor played down the diplomatic significance of the direct contacts with Iran.

"There is no political angle. There is a humanitarian catastrophe in Iran and our only mission is to alleviate the human suffering associated with yesterday's earthquake," he said.

Iran's quick acceptance of help contrasts with its rejection in 1990 of outside doctors, workers, blood supplies, sniffer dogs and used clothes after an earthquake claimed 36,000 lives and injured 100,000 people.

The United Sates will send medical response teams from Boston, Los Angeles and Virginia and disaster experts from government agencies, McClellan said. The U.S. military will deliver medical supplies from bases in Kuwait, said the spokesman, who was with Bush at his Texas ranch.

Separately, World Vision, a major U.S.-based humanitarian relief organization, announced it plans to airlift supplies to Iran next week.

World Vision said it would send an airlift of $250,000 worth of supplies including plastic sheeting and water purification tablets and equipment.

[fhayek]

Does anyone remember how much support Iran gave the U.S. during the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake? Just wondering.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

America is providing relief for the people of Iran, not the mad mullah regime. There is a distinction.

[Guillermo]

What could they have possibly done?

[mikegi]

This is a good thing. There should be American military aircraft pouring supplies into the area and American military medical staff heading to the area. That way we can guarantee that supplies go to those who need it and not the mullahs.

We need to reinforce the image of America being either your best friend or worst enemy.

[fhayek]

My sarcasm was directed at the view held by many in this world that the United States is evil. Yet it is the U.S. that is the first to put aside its differences to send aid in times of emergency. I maintain that the U.S. had done more for the cause of good in the world than all other nations of the world combined since the dawn of civilization. My point is that we do automatically what most countries wouldn't even consider.

[CatOwner]

"What could they have possibly done?"

Exactly! Not to belittle the loss of life, but Loma Prieta in 1989 caused less than 100 deaths. It's biggest impact was to the infrustructure of the region (particularly to the SF-Oakland Bay bridge). Who better than us to fix the problems.