The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called on different countries to pressure the United States into lifting the sanctions on Syria and the siege of the country to enable the delivery of international aid to the quake-hit Syrian regions.

Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the semi-official Mehr news agency on Monday, parts of which were released on Tuesday.

Expressing sympathy to the Turkish and Syrian governments and peoples, Kanaani noted that the related Iranian authorities have voiced readiness for sending rescue and medical aid to the two countries.

For more than the past nine years, Syria has been grappling with conflict and is under special circumstances at present, said the spokesman, urging other countries to force the United States into lifting the siege of the Arab state so that international humanitarian aid can be delivered to the quake-stricken people without any obstacle and at the shortest time.

The United States has imposed economic sanctions against Syria, which also make it a herculean task to send essential goods and international humanitarian aid to the country.

The official death toll of devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria jumped to more than 8,700 people on Wednesday as overwhelmed rescuers warned that the number would grow significantly with families still trapped under the rubble.

In Syria alone, the death toll climbed to more than 2,500 overnight, according to the Syrian government and a rescue service operating in the rebel-held northwest.

(With input from agencies)