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Rouhani: Iran’s handling of coronavirus pandemic comparable to developed countries

Sunday, 31 May 2020 4:12 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 31 May 2020 4:17 PM ]

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani addresses a meeting of the cabinet in Tehran on May 31, 2020. (Photo by IRNA)

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani says the country’s handling of the deadly coronavirus pandemic has been acceptable and comparable to that of the developed countries.

“In our fight against coronavirus, we have gone past the first 100 days and this is very important,” the Iranian president said while addressing a meeting of the cabinet on Sunday.

“Our country’s statistics and figures as well as the economic fallout of coronavirus are comparable to developed countries of the world. Today, after having fought this dangerous virus for 100 days, during which our health sector and the entire nation did a great job, we see acceptable conditions [in terms of containing the pandemic],” Rouhani noted.

He emphasized that the Iranian people are witnessing that even rich countries in financial, economic, medical and scientific terms have faced severe problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rouhani said all countries across the world faced numerous complications over the past 100 days in running their domestic affairs, particularly in the economic fields, adding that all Iranian institutions and officials as well as private and state sectors made great efforts during the virus outbreak.

"Today, we have relatively appropriate conditions [in Iran in terms of pandemic]," the president pointed out.

Iran has been among the countries hit hard by the coronavirus that first showed up in China in late December 2019 before spreading across the globe.

Illegal US sanctions have hampered the virus battle in Iran, which reported its first COVID-19 infection cases in late February.

According to the latest figures released by the Health Ministry, a total of 151,466 Iranians have contracted the disease and 7,797 have died while 118,848 patients have recovered so far.

Addressing the 73rd World Health Assembly through video-conference earlier this month, Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki said unilateral sanctions imposed on the country by the administration of US President Donald Trump are inhumane and cause suffering and pain for people.

US’ ‘inhumane, unilateral’ sanctions cause suffering for people: Iran health minister

Iran’s health minister says unilateral and inhumane US sanctions cause suffering and pain for people.

“There is no doubt that unilateral sanctions constitute an obstacle and are an inhumane measure, which brings about suffering and pain [for people],” the Iranian minister said, adding, “The United States must be held to account for the severe sanctions that have put the lives of Iranian people in jeopardy.”

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