Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the Trump administration on Tuesday of blocking efforts to aid Iranian victims of calamitous floods through “inhumane and cruel” restrictions imposed by renewed American banking sanctions on the country.

The State Department denied the allegation, asserting that the United States stood ready to help. It said a botched response to the flooding by the Iranian government had contributed to the disaster.

The acerbic exchange came against the backdrop of what is shaping up to be some of the worst flooding to strike Iran since the Islamic revolution 40 years ago.

Floods have afflicted at least 26 of Iran’s 31 provinces over the past two weeks, states of emergency have been declared in several provinces, at least 47 people have been killed, and tens of thousands have been evacuated, state media have reported.