Leader of Islamic Revolution visits quake-hit regions

The Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, paid a visit to the quake-hit regions of Kermanshah, attending the tents of the quake victims, in the early hours of Monday.

The release of reports on the visit of the Leader of Islamic Revolution to the quake-hit regions led the quake victims to shed tears of joy, while according a warm welcome to Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

In this visit that took several hours, the Leader of Islamic Revolution sympathized with every one of the quake victims in the quake-hit cities and villages, while pointing out the stellar performance of the officials in dealing with this tragic incident, noting that: "The Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps came to the rescue of the quake victims and those who were trapped under the rubbles in cities and villages within the initial hours after this incident. Meanwhile, the officials of different sectors should redouble their courageous efforts."

All eyes have been on Iran for a number of years. Any event in Iran, from the development of stem cells, to production of yellow cake, and/or elections have captured the attention of Western media, which have tried to criticize Iran and make baseless allegations against the country. The Western media have tried to compare Iran and the West in regard to each and every event and incident that has taken place. However, incidents such as natural disasters, including floods and quakes, have rarely caught the attention of Western media, and even if such incidents have been covered by Western media, their efforts have been politically motivated and/or have been intent on magnifying the possible shortcomings and calling into question the sacred Islamic system.

Now, let's pay a glance at the quake which rocked Kermanshah in Western Iran, and also let's review similar incidents in the US, which claims to have established the new world order.

The recent earthquake in Kermanshah, Western Iran, was an incident the led to the propaganda campaign of the Western media. Naturally, any given country could run into a few problems in dealing with the quake-hit victims under emergency conditions. However, such cases in Western countries may go unreported by the Western media, or be less attended by these media.

In order to further clarify the different aspects of the said comparisons, let's pay a glance at the homelessness of thousands of flood victims in the US city of New Orleans, which was struck by Hurricane Katrina, and the discriminatory approach of the US administration in meeting the needs of the corresponding victims.

Hurricane Katrina was a foreseen incident. It took place in a number of southern states of the US, once again revealing the discriminatory approaches embedded in the US community. In the meantime, Western media turned a blind eye to the appalling status quo and the humiliation of people of New Orleans.

Louisiana is one of the poorest states in the US, and New Orleans is one of the most populous cities of this state; with 70% of the population of this city being poor African-Americans. The Middle and Upper Classes of this city are comprised of whites.

Five days after Hurricane Katrina struck this region, the Western news agencies began to release initial reports on delivery of food and governmental aid to this region.  

New Orleans mayor lashed out at the inaction of the then US administration in relation to much needed rescue and relief operations for the victims, pointing out that this has led to people dying due to shortage of food and drinking water.

The delays and drawbacks in rescue and relief operations were to an extent that the then neoconservative US president, George W. Bush, admitted to this shortcoming, while pledging to appropriately handle this incident, without delivering on his vows, later on.

Within the State of Louisiana, many of the related destructions have not been sorted out. Within a year after the said tragic incident, more than 50,000 homeless victims of Hurricane Katrina lived in their vehicles. This dire status quo lingered in the following years, such that the former US president, Barack Obama, was forced to admit that New Orleans is yet to be reconstructed on the 5^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

One of the members of New Orleans City Council, Oliver Thomas, pointed out US government's lack of plans in handling the relief and rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, noting that: The main cause of disappointment was the unpreparedness of US governmental forces in rescuing the victims. Why should people be drowned, and/or why should people die out of hunger and thirst on rooftops. The US governmental forces should have been prepared for the rescue and relief operations.

A similar situation occurred in regard to Hurricane Maria. Although this hurricane was foreseen, the rescue and relief operations were delayed. The US daily, New York Times, slammed the incumbent US president, Donald Trump, noting that when Hurricane Maria occurred, there was a power cut in Puerto Rico for a month. In the absence of electricity, provision of drinking water is also impossible. Now, the question is that how many people lose their lives due to power cuts or inactivity of hospitals? How many people will lose their lives due to consumption of contaminated water? Nobody knows the answers to these questions.

This article adds: "It was expected of Trump to visit the storm-hit region. But, he went on tweeting about football several days after Hurricane Maria.

In the meantime, in Iran, all officials and people attended the quake-hit regions. In such incidents, rescue and relief operations are of paramount importance. In regard to the quake that jolted Kermanshah, as of the very first hours after the earthquake, rescue and relief operations were carried out and concluded swiftly and accurately, despite the vastness of the quake-hit regions.

The Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, paid a visit to the quake-hit regions, listening to the problems of victims and sympathizing with them, while calling on the officials to redouble their courageous efforts in assisting the quake victims.

In the meantime, the West led by the US, which claims to champion democracy and to defend human rights, even does not provide for the essential needs of its people, while trying in vain to justify its misconduct and greed by making a number of baseless allegations.

MR/ME