TEHRAN -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi on Tuesday expressed his regret over the occurrence of the killer quake which hit the northern part of China on Monday.

The Iranian diplomat further offered condolences of the Iranian government and nation to the Chinese government, people and the families of the victims of the quake.

A devastating earthquake, with the magnitude of 6.8 degrees on the Richter scale, hit China's northwestern region of Xinjiang on Monday, killing at least 261 people, injuring more than 1,000 and flattening more than 1,000 buildings, IRNA reported.