Hezbollah Condemns US for Blocking Aid to Flood-Victims in Iran

“While Iranians are dealing with the massive incident (caused by) floods in a humanitarian and ethical manner, the US is savagely blocking humanitarian aid to the country due to sanctions (against Tehran),” Hezbollah said in a statement late on Sunday.

The “barbarous government” of the US is also planning to label the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), which is playing a crucial role in helping flood victims in Iran, as a terrorist group, the statement added.

The Lebanese group also expressed condolences over deaths of a number of people in the recent floods in Iran and wished the injured a swift recovery.

US sanctions have prevented the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) from obtaining any foreign financial aid to assist victims of flooding that has killed at least 70 people and inundated some 1,900 communities, the IRCS said on Sunday.

"No foreign cash help has been given to the IRCS,” it said, adding, “With attention to the inhuman American sanctions, there is no way to send this cash assistance.”

Amid unprecedented torrential rains in northern, western and southwestern Iran, the military forces have mobilized efforts to help people trapped in the flood-affected areas and evacuate residents in the regions with an emergency situation.

Record spring rainfall that has battered Iran in the past weeks caused serious flooding in many areas, mainly the provinces of Golestan, Lorestan, Khuzestan, Fars and Ilam, forcing thousands to leave their homes.

While residents in some western areas are still in need of relief aid, the Army Ground Force, the IRGC, and Basij have deployed forces, heavy military machinery, aircraft and boats to the disaster zones.