TEHRAN – The Iranian foreign minister says the country is prepared to send relief aid to earth-quake areas in Afghanistan.

“Iran announces its readiness to immediately dispatch humanitarian and relief aid to quake-hit areas [in Afghanistan],” said Abbad Araghchi in a post on the X platform. “The occurrence, yet again, of a destructive earthquake in parts of northern Afghanistan which killed a number of Afghan citizens and inflicted heavy damage has caused deep sorrow,” he noted.

Araghchi also expressed heartfelt condolences to the Afghan government and people as well as their bereaved families, wishing a rapid recovery for the wounded victims.

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds more, with the death toll expected to increase as rescue efforts continue.

The strong temblor shook the capital, Kabul, the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, and the northern Samangan province.

Afghanistan’s ministry of defense announced that rescue and relief operations had begun in the worst-hit areas, where teams were already evacuating the injured and assisting the affected families.  

In early September, a large earthquake killed 2,200 people in the country.