US OKs NGO quake-relief funds to Iran

WASHINGTON - The US Department of Treasury on Tuesday temporarily allowed non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to transfer donations to help quake relief and reconstruction efforts in Iran.

According to a general license the Treasury just issued, US-based tax-exempt NGOs can collect and transfer donations for 45 days to support northwestern Iran, which was hit by two powerful earthquakes on August 11 that killed more than 306 people and injured over 3,000.

The Treasury allows each NGO to transfer up to 300,000 dollars until October 5, but the transactions must go through a third-country financial institution to an Iranian counterpart not subjected to US sanctions.

The US has a number of sanctions against Iran, which is accused by Washington of seeking to build nuclear weapons.

Following the deadly earthquake, Washington expressed its readiness to help Iran, but Tehran has not accepted the offer, the Treasury said.

To transfer more than 300,000 dollars, NGOs will need to apply for a special license, the Treasure added.