Iran accepts U.S. offer of quake aid

Reuters ^

[Dallas]

ABDARE, Iran (Reuters) - President Mohammad Khatami said on Tuesday Iran would accept the U.S. government's offer of humanitarian aid after a powerful earthquake killed 229 people and left thousands homeless.

Asked by Reuters whether he would accept U.S. President George W. Bush's offer of humanitarian assistance, Khatami said: "Yes, we also accept that."

When asked if this included U.S. government aid, he said: "Yes, help is help."

Bush, who said he was saddened by the earthquake, made the offer despite having branded Iran in January part of an "axis of evil" for its alleged development of weapons of mass destruction.

Khatami, a reformist cleric who has tried to revamp Iran's Islamic system of government, made the comments during a visit to the village of Abdare, where he saw for himself the devastating effects of Saturday's quake which measured 6.3 on the Richter scale.

Abdare, a small farming community nestling in a wide valley in the mountainous Qazvin province, was flattened when the quake pulverised its mud-brick homes. Eight other villages were also wiped out, and more than 150 others suffered damage.

Dressed in a black robe of mourning, Khatami nodded his head as he listened to sobbing women who begged for help to rebuild their shattered homes and lives.

"Foreign aid is natural in this kind of situation and Iran also accepts that," Khatami told reporters earlier. "We need equipment, not medicine or basic help. That can speed up our help to the people."

The U.S. State Department said on Monday it had sent an offer of food, temporary housing and water purification equipment for quake victims through the Swiss embassy which represents its interests in Tehran.

Washington cut ties with Tehran after radical Iranian students stormed the Iranian embassy and seized dozens of diplomats and held them hostage in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution which toppled the U.S.-backed shah.

[zarf]

Shouldn't the Iranians be celebrating death?

Am I out of line here?

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

This has interesting ramifications for the future...

[Teacher317]

Yes, it does. Iran is the most likely Middle-Eastern nation to find a workable balance between the Islamic faithful and the influences of Western culture and technology (like Turkey's mostly-successful example). Now that Russia (with her many ties to Iran) is becoming more of an ally every day, relations with Iran have a great chance of having some really good consequences. Here's to hoping GWB (or even his successor) can take advantage of the opportunity!

[Mamzelle]

We offer, we help, we are America. I say go for it, and do a quick and excellent job of setting up some tents, water treatment, avoidance of cholera, etc. Then get out before they kill us or kidnap the aid workers for hostages. .

Iran may be one longshot hope at modernization. Khomeni may have executed 20,000 of his political opponents, but I guess that could for "moderate" when compared with some of the rest of the lunatic Muslim Middle East.

They are shia, not sunni like the wahabi saudi's. They have a scholarly tradition that sometimes even includes more than the Koran. They educate girls, even allow them segregated sports, the vote, can hold office, and jobs if they keep under their hot blankets in public. Maybe there's a possibility here.

[ClancyJ]

Hm.....Wonder if that is how they also react - extending help to other nations in need? Don't think I've ever noticed them helping anyone before. Of course, this is U.S. help - that's different. We are supposed to help the whole world as they in turn hate us and try and kill us.

Typical way the MidEastern mind works.