The international Red Cross in Geneva said it was making an appeal for 10 million Swiss francs (6.4 million euros, eight million dollars).

The United Nations said it had sent a team to the scene of the disaster to coordinate rescue operations and was making 90,000 dollars available immediately for the disaster, which claimed at least 15,000 lives, according to Iranian officials.

The United States also offered aid.

"This is a terrible tragedy," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan: "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured and with the families of those who were killed. And we are offering humanitarian assistance."

McClellan said exact details of the US contribution -- to a state branded by President George W. Bush as part of an "axis of evil" -- would be announced later.

Two specialists of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs left Geneva for southeastern Iran Friday to be followed by eight more Saturday, a UN spokeswoman said in Geneva.

"The UN has made available emergency aid of 90,000 dollars and sent an expert team to evaluate the damage and mobilise and coordinate international aid," she said.

France was set Saturday to despatch 65 emergency services specialists and 20 tonnes of equipment for a field hospital, the foreign ministry said.

President Jacques Chirac said in a message to the Iranian President Mohammad Khatami he had heard with deep emotion of the disaster.

Expressing condolences to victims' families and solidarity with the Iranian people, Chirac said France was ready "to despatch all means of assistance that could be required to cope with the consequences of this terrible tragedy."

A German aircraft was set to leave Frankfurt Friday with a rescue team and material.

The foreign ministry said it had formed a crisis group and made 500,000 euros available in immediate aid.

It said the plane was headed for Kerman, 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the centre of the disaster, with a team including dogs specialising in detecting and rescuing trapped survivors.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said his country would "make every effort within the limit of its possibilities to place at Iran's disposal all necessary humanitarian aid."

Iran had told UN officials it urgently needed medical supplies, tents, field hospitals, blankets and water treatment equipment but did not immediately require food aid, the UN spokeswoman said in Geneva.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's spokesman said in New York the 90,000 dollar grant would come from the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"The secretary general was distressed to learn of the devastating casualties and damage caused by the earthquake in southeastern Iran," spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

The UN children's agency UNICEF also launched an immediate 350,000 dollar appeal for urgent humanitarian needs.

In Moscow, Russian Emergency Minister Sergei Shoigu said two cargo jets were being loaded with supplies and would take off as soon as Iran made its immediate needs known.

Russia was ready to send doctors, rescue workers, lifting equipment, medicine and sniffer dogs, he said.

Turkey, no stranger to devastating earthquakes, including one that killed more than 20,000 people in 1999, said it would put all means available at Iran's disposal.

Iran also asked Switzerland for dogs specially trained in rescue work and detection equipment to find survivors, a spokesman of the Swiss government relief aid department said.

He said his country was sending 10 rescue experts with four dogs to Kerman province.

The international Red Cross appeal for 10 million Swiss francs will cover emergency supplies such as tents, blankets, and possibly field hospitals, said a spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva.

"We will be putting out a preliminary appeal in the next few hours. The Iranian Red Crescent asked us for help," Probert told AFP.

"It will probably be about 10 million Swiss francs," he added.

The European Union Commission in Brussels said it would provide some 800,000 euros in humanitarian aid from the funds of Echo, its humanitarian office.

Echo staff were already en route for Iran to evaluate needs and further funds could be made available, a statement said.

In Prague, a Czech air force plane was set to take off with a team of rescuers and four tonnes of relief aid.

TERRA.WIRE