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The Emergency Situations Ministry of Russia launched a humanitarian operation to assist Iran for possible refugees from Iraq

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
DAILY NEWS BULLETIN 24.03.2003

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

On the Start of a Humanitarian Operation by the Russian Foreign and Emergency Situation Ministries and Specialized Agencies of the UN

698-22-03-2003

On March 22, the Emergency Situations Ministry of Russia in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and specialized agencies of the UN launched a humanitarian operation to lend assistance to the Islamic Republic of Iran in the reception of possible refugees from Iraq. An Emergency Situations Ministry task force and the first plane with humanitarian aid arrived in Iran today. All in all, four Il-76 planes will be dispatched to Iran as part of the operation, delivering tents, stoves, generators, blankets, food, medicines, water treatment stations and other goods, necessary for setting up a refugee camp for up to 5,000.

The Russian MFA and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Iran had obtained all necessary concurrences from the Iranian side. Right now embassy representatives are in the city of Kermanshah, Iran, in order to assist the task force of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry.

March 22, 2003

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=A9 Publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.