Leader Approves $200m Quake Assistance

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has approved the allocation of $200 million from the National Development Fund of Iran to distressed areas affected by a powerful earthquake last month. Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said during an open session of parliament on Tuesday that the lack of fund to rebuild the affected areas compelled them to seek the Leader's permission to withdraw funds from NDFI, which preserves a specific share of oil and gas revenues for future use, Fars News Agency reported. More than 600 people lost their lives when a 7.2 magnitude quake hit western Kermanshah Province, near the border with Iraq on Nov. 12. The Kermanshah quake left more than 12,000 people injured and thousands homeless, and came at the start of the cold season in the mountainous region.