By Hasse-Nima Golkar

IRAN: THE SITUATION IN THE EARTHQUAKE AFFECTED AREA IS STILL VERY SERIOUS AND CRITICAL!

On January 28, 2023, at 21:44, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale shook the city of “Khoy” and its suburbs in the province of West Azarbaijan in northwestern Iran.

Based on social media reports, it is said that so far at least three people have lost their lives and more than 973 people have been injured. But the ruling fascist Islamic State in Iran, instead of providing immediate aid to the affected people, who are “living” in snow and rain on alleys and streets in the cold below 7 degrees Celsius, has sent the repressive police forces to the scene with water cannons, to disperse the people who visit the responsible authorities to get their basic emergency needs.

Some of the earthquake victims say: We don’t have enough shelter and food in this severe frost, but many journalists come here, take some pictures and then leave the place, that’s all!

People say that authorities are failing in their responsibilities when it comes to helping us. Now after three days of the earthquake, the urgently needed facilities such as food, drinks, tents, blankets and heating stove have still not reached us. But faster than all these, they have sent us the special police forces instead!!

According to reports, many self-organized people’s aid groups from areas near the Azerbaijan region are collecting aid to be able to give to the earthquake victims as much as they can, but as usual, the government authorities prevent all these people from reaching the site, under the false pretense of “providing security” (!?).