Iran authorities orders evacuation of 70 villages due to flood risk

Iranian authorities have ordered the evacuation of 70 villages in Khuzestan province near the Dez and Kharkheh rivers due to flood risk, according to state-run IRNA news agency.

At least 45 people were killed in the past two weeks in flash floods in northern and southern Iran after the heaviest rains in at least a decade.

Earlier, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif blamed sanctions imposed last year by US President Donald Trump's administration for hampering rescue operations in flood-stricken areas of the country.

"America's "maximum pressure" policy on Iran "is impeding aid efforts by #IranianRedCrescent to all communities devastated by unprecedented floods," Zarif said in a Twitter post on Monday night.

The sanctions, he said, have prevented Tehran from getting badly needed equipment, including relief helicopters.

"This isn't just economic warfare; it's economic TERRORISM," he said.

A senior US official said on Monday the government is considering implementing additional sanctions against Iran that would target areas of its economy that have not been hit before.

Iran has been facing major flooding for the past two weeks that have struck hundreds of villages as well as towns and cities in the western half of the country, where in some places a state of emergency has been declared.

Local authorities in the stricken areas have repeatedly asked for more helicopters to reach remote and cutoff locations. Iranian state media said on Tuesday that dozens of military and Iranian Red Crescent helicopters are taking part in the relief operation.

Britain and Germany have offered to send help, including boats and safety equipment.

Iranian media reports said the floods have cut off some 80 intercity roads, as well as roads to nearly 2,200 villages, and that electricity and communications with many places, including in western Ilam and Lorestan provinces, have been cut.

Iran has seen a decades-long drought but the latest flooding has also been blamed on widespread disregard of safety measures and construction of buildings and roads near the rivers.

Last year, at least 30 people were killed by flash floods in East Azerbaijan province.