"On behalf of the Iranian people and Resistance, I wish to express my deepest condolences to you and the people of Italy for the tragic earthquake in L'Aquila. In this sorrowful moment we stand close by the people of Italy and share the grief of the families of the victims,” said Mrs. Maryam Rajavi in her message to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
“Members and supporters of the Iranian Resistance, particularly the residents of Camp Ashraf, members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) in Iraq, pray for the people of Italy, for those who lost their lives, the wounded and the bereaved families,” she added.
On Monday a quake, measuring between 5.8 and 6.3 on the Richter scale hit Italy catching residents in their sleep and flattening houses, ancient churches and other buildings in 26 cities and towns, killing at least 179 people.
The epicenter was in L'Aquila region and massive destruction was reported for 30 kilometers (20 miles) in all directions from the town. The nearby villages of Villa Sant'Angelo and Borgo di Castelnuovo were practically wiped out.