Iranian Ambassador to China Ferydoun Verdi Nejad sent a message of appreciation Saturday to the Chinese government for China's assistance following the recent earthquake in Iran.  

Ferydoun Verdi Nejad said in the message that the timely assistance and attention of the Chinese government and Chinese people in the earthquake zone soothed the sorrowful hearts of the Iranian people.

Ferydoun Verdi Nejad said the Iranian government and people will always remember the spiritual and material aids and donations provided by China.

The calamity caused heavy casualties and assets losses. The Chinese government decided on the day the earthquake happened to offer five million yuan (US$602,000) worth of emergency aid to Iran. China's Red Cross has also provided US$100,000 to Iran's Red Crescent to help cope with the disaster.

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck the city of Bam in Iran's southeastern province of Kerman before dawn on Dec. 26, 2003. Iranian officials confirmed Friday that up until now 41,000 of the people of Bam have been killed, and there is a possibility that this could increase to 45,000.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2004)