The British and the Iranian government appeared on a list of countries who have offered aid to the US.
Apart from humanitarian aid, Iran has offered to send 20 million barrels of crude oil to the US to help the sudden shortage in oil supplies caused by hurricane Katrina.
The offer was first announced by Iran’s envoy to OPEC. Yet, Iran has asserted that the help awaits an official request by the US government before it could be sent. Furthermore, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi stressed that there was no political motivation behind Iran’s offer, and is only concerned with easing the suffering of the Hurricane survivors.
The British government was also swift to offer its help of £4 million worth of humanitarian aid consisting of 400,000 emergency ration packs, which included meat. However, this aid was delayed for five days due to fears about the safety of European meat.
After the five-day long delay the ban on the meat was finally waived and the rations were dispatched for distribution among the survivors.
Given the fact that the US has been experiencing its worst ever natural disaster, it seems rational that the way for any humanitarian aid should be paved without any further delay and regardless of any political tendencies. For instance, after the Bam earthquake in 2004 which left thousands dead and many more homeless, Iran accepted the humanitarian aid offered by the United States despite the fragile political relations.
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