TEHRAN The Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran (RCS), in a statement issued here Tuesday evening, announced its readiness to dispatch relief aid for quake-stricken people in Turkey. In its statement, the society also expressed sympathy with the families of quake victims. More than 3,000 people were killed in the earthquake that rocked western and central Turkey at 03:02 hours local time (0002 GMT) Tuesday. The quake was initially reported to have measured 6.7 on the Richter scale.

On Wednesday, the Kandilli Seismic Institute in Istanbul revised the initial figure and said the tremor was a whopping 7.4 on the open-ended scale. Meanwhile, the First Vice President Hassan Habibi in a message cabled on Wednesday condoled Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit as well as Turkish government and nation on the deadly quake which swept Turkey.