TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a message to Italy�s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi offered his condolences on the loss of lives in a powerful earthquake in central Italy, assuring the Italian nation of Iran�s support in these tough days.

In the message on Thursday, President Rouhani expressed Iran�s deep sympathy to the Italian government and nation and bereaved families of the victims.

�I assure you that we will stand by the friend nation, Italy, in these difficult moments,� the president added.

The earthquake struck a mountainous stretch of central Italy early Wednesday, killing at least 247 people and trapping scores under debris.

The tremor, which had a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, struck at 3:36 a.m., about 6.5 miles southeast of the town of Norcia in the Umbria region, followed by about 200 aftershocks over the next several hours.

Towns in three regions -Umbria, Lazio and Marche- have been devastated by the quake.

By Tasnim News Agency