IP - Iran's President ordered the Red Crescent Society branches of Sistan and Baluchestan and Northern Khorasan provinces to expedite the humanitarian aid to the quake-hit people of Afghanistan.

Iran PressIran news: A powerful earthquake struck rural, mountainous regions of southeastern Afghanistan, Paktika, and Khost, early on Wednesday, killing at least 920 people and injuring 600 others in the deadliest quake in two decades.

Ebrahim Raisi extended condolences to the Afghan people on Thursday and said: "It is our duty to help the people of Afghanistan who have been oppressed for years by the US and NATO. These days, terrorist groups have attacked the people of this country and disrupted the security of this country."

Raisi pointed to Iran's long-standing hosting of the Afghan people and recalled that despite their advocacy of human rights, the European countries had offered no help to the people of Afghanistan. 

Iran has shown that it is standing always by the oppressed people, he said.

Iran has voiced full readiness to help earthquake-hit people in Afghanistan, with its aid already arriving in the country to be distributed among the people in need.

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