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A 56-year-old man was found alive 13 days after the Bam earthquake, prompting talk of a miracle. But the man has since lapsed into a coma and may not live.

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On 3 January, 97-year-old Shahr-Banu Mazandarani was pulled from the rubble eight days after the quake. Her first request was for a cup of tea.

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The earlier survival of an 80-year-old woman, trapped for five days in the debris, was a ray of light amid the gloom.

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More heart-warming stories have emerged, like the births of eight babies at emergency field hospitals.

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Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said in a New Year message that Iran would never forget the efforts of aid workers.

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There was raw emotion at a memorial service held to remember the dead.

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The solidarity of neighbours and friends will be crucial in the weeks and months ahead.

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Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has pledged to rebuild the historic Silk Route city.

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The sun's rays over the unbroken dome of the Djame mosque offer a poignant symbol of hope for the future.