Islamic Iran offers condolences to Turkey

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has offered condolences to Turkey over the country’s most-powerful earthquake in more than a decade, which has claimed the lives of more than 200 people.

Salehi held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday, expressing sympathy with the Turkish government and nation over the devastating Sunday earthquake in Turkey, IRNA reported.

The Iranian minister expressed Tehran’s readiness to dispatch humanitarian aid to the quake-stricken country.

At least 217 people were killed in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit southeastern Turkey on Sunday afternoon, while experts estimate that the death toll could top 1,000.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in the village of Tabanli in Van province.