In record time, the number of cases of infection and death from the new Corona virus increased in the Republic of Iran, turning the country into the second largest hotspot for its spread after China, the country of origin. Which constituted a question mark regarding the sudden way in which the virus spread among Iranians, and the real reasons behind the great penetration of this danger? Of course, we cannot ignore the collapse of the health system in the country, or the neglect of the right-wing government ruling the country in securing it and its preoccupation with political and electoral battles, which led to its spread not only in the country, but also to neighboring countries. However, this does not negate the fact that the American sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic contributed greatly to deepening the crisis, and preventing the arrival of the aid and tools necessary to detect the virus in a quick and affordable way.
Early start..
Two days before the Iranian parliamentary elections, on February 22, 2020 specifically, official talk began briefly about “some” Coronavirus infections in the city of Qom, south of Tehran. Instead of taking quick measures to cordon off areas where the virus is spreading and warning citizens, Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei blamed “Iran’s enemies” who sought to discourage people from voting in the elections by “exaggerating the danger of the Corona virus.” He added, “Negative propaganda about the virus began two months ago and increased significantly before the elections,” which suggests that the authorities were afraid of the impact of news about Corona on the conduct of the elections. After the end of voting, on February 24, 2020, the numbers of infections and deaths began to rise very significantly in Iran, and in several regions of the country, including the capital, Tehran, which has become the home of the second largest number of deaths from this virus after China, while observers say that the real numbers are much higher.
Iran requests the lifting of sanctions..
But what is striking is Iran’s speed in requesting international assistance, beginning with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s request, on the night of February 23, 2020, for the United States to lift unilateral sanctions on his country to confront the Corona virus. This came in a message sent by Zarif to the leaders of a number of international organizations, led by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, and the foreign ministers of a number of countries, according to the official Iranian News Agency (IRNA). In his message, Zarif stressed that the unilateral US sanctions against his country hinder Iran’s capabilities to combat Corona, stressing that lifting the sanctions is necessary to combat the virus.
Request for aid..
Iran not only requested the lifting of sanctions, but also explicitly requested assistance from the International Monetary Fund to combat the spread of the Corona virus after it caused the deaths and infections of thousands in various cities of the country. The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Abdel Nasser Hemmati, revealed that Tehran requested aid worth $5 billion from the International Monetary Fund to combat the Corona virus, but his request has not yet received a response.
The state is collapsing
The virus resulted in the death of political figures in Iran, most notably: cleric Hadi Khosrow Shahi, member of the Expediency Discernment Council, Muhammad Mir Mohammadi, former ambassador to Damascus, Hussein Sheikh al-Islam, and MP Fatima Rahbar. The latest statistics in Iran indicate that about 9,000 cases have been infected, while the authorities have announced the death of 354 people so far, amid doubts about the validity of the official figures.
Sanctions damages
Although the sanctions do not directly target the health sector in Iran; However, unilateral banking sanctions, and the evasion of foreign companies from engaging in trade with Iran for fear of having their name included in the US sanctions list, hinder the import of health supplies and medicines into the Islamic Republic. On March 4, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a meeting of his government: “These (Americans) are wearing a mask of mercy, and they are saying, ‘Let us help the Iranian people. If you are truly honest, at least lift the sanctions for treatment.’”
