Rohingya refugees are seen waiting for a boat to cross the border through the Naf river in Maungdaw, Myanmar, September 7, 2017. (REUTERS Photo)

TEHRAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's foreign minister on Thursday criticized the international community for remaining silent on the violence towards Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

"The international community has no excuse to allow the genocide of Rohingya Muslims to continue in front of our eyes," Press TV quoted Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying.

Zarif urged prompt international action to address the plight of Rohingya Muslims, saying "We must act now before it's too late."

The Rohingya, one of the world's largest stateless communities, are fleeing in droves toward Bangladesh, trying to escape the latest surge in violence in Rakhine state between a shadowy militant group and Myanmar's military.

The UN refugee agency said that more than 3,000 Rohingya Muslims had reached Bangladesh over the past days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army.

On Thursday, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said it has set up a working group to help the Myanmar Muslims following an order by President Hassan Rouhani.

Hamid Jamaloddini, the society's spokesman, said consignments of vital relief aid and medical items are ready to be dispatched to Myanmar.

He also expressed the society's readiness to help relocate those in urgent need.

Earlier, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that Myanmar's violent crackdown of Rohingya Muslims is nothing short of an "ethnic cleansing."

Rouhani on Wednesday urged the Myanmar government to put an end to "vicious crimes" against Rohingya Muslims.