Armenia has delivered 57 million Drams worth humanitarian aid (about $142,000) to Iran to meet the basic needs of the earthquake-stricken population.

At a news conference on Monday, Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Yeritsyan said he had contacted colleagues in the Islamic Republic upon the president’s recommendation to find out the population’s needs following the disaster.

“We sent the main items which are normally needed after an earthquake. From the very first day, the president instructed me to contact my colleagues, and we are ready to send a second [consignment] of assistance if needed. We have seen the earthquake of Spitak and know what getting assistance at such a moment means,” he said.

The minister said Iran has declined their proposal for sending Armenian rescuers, saying that the country has enough resources.

Armenia has sent 26,000 cans of preserved food, 40,000 liters of drinking water, 81 tents (expected to house 700 people), 1,000 coverlets, 6,000 bed sheets, 300 mattresses, 460 sleeping bags and 100 folding beds to the earthquake-hit Iran.

The assistance was handed to a crisis management group based 20 km. off the city of Julfa (Atrpatakan province) on Sunday night.

The Armenian cabinet decided at its August 16 meeting to send humanitarian assistance to the survivors of the August 11 earthquake that hit the country’s north-east.