Government Agrees to Accept U.S. Quake Aid
President Mohammad Khatami said Iran is ready to receive U.S. aid to help it recover from an earthquake that killed 245 people.
Iran had previously said it would accept U.S. aid only from nongovernmental organizations. Iran and America have no diplomatic ties.
An official at the U.S. Agency for International Development said $50,000 was being made available for immediate use.
He added that the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance was preparing a grant for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for use specifically in Iran.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
