Zarand, Iran
A large earthquake flattened dozens of villages in central Iran this week, killing at least 500 people. Rescue parties were delayed in reaching some areas because heavy rains caused mudslides that blocked or buried roads. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered emergency assistance for the region and offered condolences and prayers to the families of the victims. The Iranian government, increasingly isolated from the West because of its alleged nuclear weapons program, did not request international aid.
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