On 12 November 2017 at 18:18 UTC (21:48 Iran Standard Time, 21:18 Arabia Standard Time), an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.3 occurred on the Iran–Iraq border,[14] with the Iraqi Kurdish city of Halabja, and the Kurdish dominated places of Ezgeleh, Salas-e Babajani County, Kermanshah province in Iran,[2][3][4][1][15] closest to the epicentre, 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of the city of Halabja, Iraqi Kurdistan.

[14][18] The earthquake was located within the Zagros fold and thrust belt, part of the broad and complex zone of continental collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plates.

[2][20][4] According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale[3] and was caused by movement on a thrust fault dipping at a shallow angle to the northeast.

[21][46] In Sarpol-e Zahab, the hospital was damaged and at least 142 people were killed, many who had lived in social housing complexes built by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

[11] Turkey was the first country to offer aid, through its Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, announcing that 92 rescue personnel were on standby, together with 4,000 tents and 7,000 blankets.

[47] European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said the bloc was ready to cooperate with Iran in providing emergency relief aid,[47] and Italy's government issued orders to send 12 tonnes of tents, blankets and mobile kitchens on 13 November.

[54] On 14 November, Iranian minister of foreign affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his gratitude for all the sympathy and offers of assistance Iran has received but declared that his country can manage the situation with its own resources for the time being.