Gul: Turkey ready to help

President Abdullah Gul has sent a message to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari for the earthquake hitting south-east Iran yesterday. Gul said in his message that Turkey was ready to help in case of need. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also called his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi and expressed his condolences. Salehi reportedly thanked for Davutoglu’s offer of help. Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) said their teams would be sent to the region, in case Iran called for international help due to the 7.8-magnitude quake epicenter of which was near the south-eastern city of Khash near Pakistan. Van and Erzurum Civil Defense and Rescue Units, Health Ministry’s National Medical Rescue Teams (UMKE) and Kizilay’s teams are now prepared and Kizilay’s aid materials have been loaded to TIRs.