A Syrian man cries as he sits on the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Jindayris on Feb 7, 2023, following a deadly quake. The Syrian Red Crescent appealed to Western countries to lift sanctions and provide aid after a powerful earthquake has killed more than 1,600 people across the war-torn country. (PHOTO / AFP)

TEHRAN - The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called on different countries to pressure the United States into lifting the sanctions on Syria and the siege of the country to enable the delivery of international aid to the quake-hit Syrian regions.

Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the semi-official Mehr news agency on Monday, parts of which were released on Tuesday.

The United States has imposed economic sanctions against Syria, which also make it a herculean task to send essential goods and international humanitarian aid to the country

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Expressing sympathy to the Turkish and Syrian governments and peoples, Kanaani noted that the related Iranian authorities have voiced readiness for sending rescue and medical aid to the two countries.

For more than the past nine years, Syria has been grappling with conflict and is under special circumstances at present, said the spokesman, urging other countries to force the United States into lifting the siege of the Arab state so that international humanitarian aid can be delivered to the quake-stricken people without any obstacle and at the shortest time.

The United States has imposed economic sanctions against Syria, which also make it a herculean task to send essential goods and international humanitarian aid to the country.

READ MORE: Why was the Türkiye-Syria earthquake so bad?

Around 5,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured as of Tuesday noon after strong earthquakes jolted parts of Türkiye and neighboring Syria early Monday.