Delegates from Israeli humanitarian relief groups met Monday in Tel Aviv, and decided to provide assistance to survivors of last week's earthquake in Iran that killed tens of thousands. Representatives of the Topaz organization for youth at risk, the kibbutzim humanitarian fund, the First rescue organization, and other groups took part in the meeting.

Next week, delegates from these groups will turn to an international organization that is operating in Iran, and ask it to act as a conduit for their donation, apparently equipment such as tents and medicine. Due to the devastating scope of the earthquake damage, the Israeli relief workers believe that their assistance to Iran will continue for at least half a year.

The Iranian announcement barring assistance of any sort from Israel will require these groups to keep a low profile, as they work on behalf of the earthquake victims. "We're not here to engage in provocation," said Shahar Zahavi Monday. "The bottom line is to give aid to needy disaster victims."

Following the devastating tremor Friday in the Iranian city of Bam, Iran said it was willing to accept aid from any nation - except Israel.

Israeli officials have recently branded Iran as the number one danger to Israel because of its nuclear weapons program. Iran does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state.

'Latet' has back channel lined up Brushing aside the Iranian refusal, the Israeli humanitarian group "Latet" said it would try to ship aid to Iran some other way.

"We are checking to see how we can send (the aid) through a third party," said Jenny Perelis, a spokeswoman for Latet, which means "to give" in Hebrew.

Latet's international project director, Raanan Amir, said a deal was already lined up.

"There is no real wait. We are just checking the best and most effective way to send the help," Amir said.

However, neither Perelis nor Amir would name the third party, fearing that publicity would torpedo the deal.

Perelis said that her group, which has supplied disaster relief to 17 countries in the last decade, has been inundated with offers from Israelis to donate for the Bam victims.

"We have been offered equipment, blankets, money and food but we have told the people to wait until we can be sure we can deliver," she said.

Iranian officials said that more than 25,000 bodies have been recovered since Friday's 6.6-magnitude earthquake shook the city, and some have expressed fears that the death toll could rise as high as 40,000. At least 10,000 were injured.

Latet organizers said they were unfazed by Iran's pre-emptive refusal of Israeli aid.

"Our obligation is to help when there are humanitarian disasters, to help people in need around the world," Amir said.

"Officially there is an unwillingness to accept Israeli aid," said Amir. "But in a quiet way we are hearing that they would be happy to receive this help," he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled said that while the government had no connection to any aid project, there were no objections to Israeli groups aiding the Iranians on "a people-to-people basis."

"We have no problems with the Iranian citizens," Peled said adding that while Israel had not officially offered aid, it had sent its condolences to the Iranian people.