Zarif Thanks Countries for Condoling with Iran over Deaths in Tehran High-Rise Collapse
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed thanks to all those countries which condoled with the Islamic Republic over the collapse of a building in downtown Tehran that led to the deaths of a number of firefighters.
“Today we mourn the loss of our brave firefighters, and pray for them and their families. Appreciate sympathies from across the globe,” Zarif said in a message posted on his Twitter account on Saturday.
On Saturday, President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev extended condolences to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani over the tragic incident, saying, “I was saddened to learn about numerous losses after fire and collapse of the shopping center in Tehran”.
“On behalf of people of Kyrgyzstan and myself I express sincere condolences to families of those who died and wish the soonest recovery to those injured,” he added.
The South African government also issued a statement, saying, “The South African government extends its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident and further wishes the injured a speedy recovery”.
A number of other countries, including Syria, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkey and Britain have also condoled with the Islamic Republic over the incident.
As the operation to find the people under the rubble of the collapsed building continues, rescue teams retrieved the first body from smoldering debris on Saturday morning.
The rescue operation is hampered mainly by the metal beams in a pile of rubble with white plumes of smoke rising into the sky.
Firefighters, soldiers, and other emergency responders have been digging through the debris over the past two days, looking for survivors. It is not clear how many people were in the steel-and-concrete building when it collapsed.
According to Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, between 20 to 25 people are believed to have been trapped under the rubble.
Top stories of the Plasco building caught fire at around 8 a.m. on Thursday morning, and the whole building crumpled to the ground four hours later.
The 17-story structure was inaugurated in 1962 and named after a plastics manufacturing company. It was the tallest building in the city at the time of its construction. It included shopping centers and clothing workshops.
