Deputy FM Raps Egypt for Blocking Iran’s Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian lashed out at Egypt for prolonged delay in the delivery of Iran's humanitarian aid to the oppressed Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

His remarks came after he and his Egyptian counterpart in a meeting in Tehran last Tuesday discussed ways of putting an end to the Israeli crimes and aggressions against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and agreed to run cooperation to alleviate the pains of the besieged people of Gaza.

"Egypt has not issued permit for Iranian (cargo) planes carrying aids to Gaza despite the fact that it is now a long time Tehran has asked for this," Amir Abdollahian told FNA on Wednesday.

He pointed to the immediate need of the injured Palestinian children to urgent medical treatment, and said, "We expect Egypt to urgently fulfill its duties in this regard."

On July 24, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ordered his foreign and health ministers to urgently forward medicine, medical equipment, first aid, and food stuff for the Palestinian people injured in the recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

President Rouhani also asked the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) to harmonize with the Palestinian and Egyptian Red Crescent societies for delivering the Iranian medical aids, medical equipment, physicians as well as relief and rescue workers through the Rafah Passage to the oppressed and injured Palestinians in Gaza.

President Rouhani also asked Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to announce Iran's readiness for curing the injured Palestinians in the Iranian hospitals and to arrange for their safe transfer to Iran for the same purpose.

Earlier this month, Zarif in a phone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry discussed dispatch of medicine and foodstuff to the people of Gaza, and said, "Other contacts at other levels have also been made and today Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had some detailed talks with his Egyptian counterpart in the same regard."

He expressed the hope that the Egyptian government would help the people of Gaza find access to medicine and the Palestinian patients and injured Gazans, who are mostly children and exposed to serious risks, be transferred to Iran for treatment.

Zarif, however, said that Iran has not received resolute response from the Egyptian side, "although the Egyptian foreign minister has promised twice that he will do his best in this regard and we hope to see results."

Also in July, Zarif in a telephone conversation with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer called for all-out efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to war-stricken people in the Gaza Strip.

"Unfortunately due to the siege of Gaza, it is difficult to send humanitarian aid to this region while more international efforts are needed to send foodstuff and medicine to Gaza," Zarif said during his phone conversation with Maurer.

The two sides underlined the need for coordination between ICRC and Iran to send urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Over 2,000 Palestinians have so far been killed and some 11,000 others injured since the Israeli military first launched its offensive against the Gaza Strip on July 8.