{"id":7752,"date":"2020-03-26T14:58:54","date_gmt":"2020-03-26T11:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/?p=7752"},"modified":"2021-05-31T10:14:24","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T07:14:24","slug":"khameneis-fabrications-endanger-iranian-lives-says-pompeo-rouhanis-illusion-of-a-conspiracy-about-covid-19-says-an-iranian-legislator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/monitoring-and-translation\/iran-in-a-week\/khameneis-fabrications-endanger-iranian-lives-says-pompeo-rouhanis-illusion-of-a-conspiracy-about-covid-19-says-an-iranian-legislator\/","title":{"rendered":"Khamenei\u2019s Fabrications Endanger Iranian Lives, Says Pompeo; Rouhani\u2019s \u201cIllusion of a Conspiracy\u201d About COVID-19, Says an Iranian Legislator"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pompeo: Khamenei\u2019s Fabrications Endanger Iranian Lives<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the Iranian\nsupreme leader\u2019s remarks regarding the US role in producing the coronavirus\nwere a \u201cfabrication,\u201d emphasizing that such remarks will put the Iranian people\nand the world more at risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, Pompeo said that \u201cKhamenei\u2019s fabrications\nabout Wuhan virus\u201d are dangerous and will put more lives in Iran and the world\nat risk. Pompeo also mentioned Mahan Air\u2019s 55 flights to China after the\ncoronavirus outbreak in China, resulting in Iranians being infected. In at least\nfive countries, Pompeo added that the coronavirus was directly transmitted from\nIran, thus putting millions of people at risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran is among the top five countries with the highest death\ntoll due to the coronavirus disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei recently said on national\ntelevision that America produced the coronavirus, but he didn\u2019t offer any\nproof. The allegation was immediately dismissed by the US State Department\u2019s\nspokesperson, calling it \u201cabsolutely wrong\u201d and a \u201cconspiracy theory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US secretary of state in his statement accused Iran of\ncovering up news regarding the coronavirus outbreak in Iran, adding that Iran\nignored healthcare officials\u2019 warnings and covered up the first death caused by\nthe virus for nine days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pompeo added that Iran is still lying to the Iranian people\nand the world about the real number of deaths and infections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile the Iranian regime has demanded more financial\nresources, it must be noted that Iran has spent $16 billion on terrorism and\nhas used sanction relief after the nuclear deal to boost its proxy groups,\u201d\nPompeo said in his statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Farda<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors Without Borders Stopped From Combating the Coronavirus in Iran After Opposition From \u201cHardliners<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Doctors Without Borders have\nstopped their activities to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the city of\nEsfahan after Iran\u2019s Health Ministry spokesman said that the organization\u2019s\nplan to set up a field hospital in Esfahan had been canceled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali Reza Vahabzadeh, the spokesman\nfor Iran\u2019s Health Ministry, recently tweeted \u201cwith the implementation of the\nnational Basij plan to combat the coronavirus and using all the potential of\nthe army, it is not necessary for foreign forces to set up a hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He published his tweet after a number of \u201cconservatives\u201d and media outlets close to the IRGC expressed their opposition to Doctors Without Borders operating in Iran, saying that the country does not need foreign help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors Without Borders had\nbrought a 50-bed field hospital to Iran by plane from France in order to set it\nup in Esfahan. Nine physicians were supposed to be based at this hospital as\nwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, some \u201cconservatives\u201d and media outlets close to the IRGC voiced their criticism with regard to this plan. For example, Hossein Shariatmadari, representative of Iran\u2019s supreme leader, criticized Doctors Without Borders in Kayhan daily by alluding to Khamenei\u2019s recent speech. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khamenei had accused the Americans of creating the\ncoronavirus while questioning the US offer to help Iran in combating the\ncoronavirus pandemic. He said, \u201cwhat if they give us a drug that will help the\nvirus permanently remain in Iran?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shariatmadari, in an interview with the IRGC-affiliated Fars\nNews Agency, remarked that the \u201chumanitarian\u201d activities of the Doctors Without\nBorders might be a \u201ccover for some inhumane goals.\u201d He noted, \u201cFrom which\nborder have these doctors \u2013 who apparently have no borders \u2013 gained permission\nto enter the country? Don\u2019t they have any private motives?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BBC Persian<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Rouhani\u2019s \u201cIllusion of a Conspiracy\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Parliament member Mahmoud Sadeghi\nsaid that President Hassan Rouhani had prevented the shutting down of all\noffices in Iran to contain the coronavirus due to his \u201cillusion of a\nconspiracy.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadeghi tweeted that the National\nCoronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters had called on all offices to be\nshut down but the president \u201crefuses to shut them down in order to defeat the\nenemy\u2019s conspiracy of hurting the country\u2019s economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cApparently, the illusion of a\nconspiracy is the most important factor behind the decision-making of the\ncountry\u2019s senior authorities,\u201d tweeted Sadeghi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Hassan Rouhani recently said\n\u201canti-revolutionaries\u201d have \u201cconspired\u201d to shut down Iran\u2019s economic activities\nduring the coronavirus crisis. He also said that the Intelligence Ministry has\nprovided him with a \u201cdetailed document\u201d in this regard. \u201cTherefore, production\nshould remain normal,\u201d in the country, added Rouhani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Farda<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

267 Deaths From\nDrinking Industrial Alcohol to Prevent the Coronavirus <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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267 individuals have lost their lives due to the consumption\nof industrial alcohol in Iran to date. The spokesman for Iran\u2019s Health Ministry\nKianoush Jahanpour said 2,197 people had been poisoned so far after drinking\nfake alcohol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mohammad Javad Moradian, head of emergency services in Fars\nprovince, mentioned that so far 530 people have been poisoned due to the\nconsumption of industrial alcohol\u201467 have died. He added that the dead were\nbetween 20 to 40 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public prosecutor in the city of Karaj also announced an\nincrease in the number of victims due to drinking fake alcohol. Hassan Madadi\nsaid 20 people had died after drinking fake alcohol in the city of Karaj. He\nadded that they had drunk alcohol to prevent the coronavirus disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early March, 20 individuals lost their lives in the\nsouthern city of  Ahvaz due to the\nconsumption of counterfeit alcohol out of 218. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An official at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical\nSciences remarked at the time that<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a number of Ahvazi people had bought and consumed industrial\nalcohol after a rumor went viral on social media that drinking alcohol would\nprevent the coronavirus disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Farda<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran\u2019s Ambassador to\nBelgium: $200 Billion Cost of US Sanctions on Iran\u2019s Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Iran\u2019s ambassador to Belgium said that since the US pulled\nout of the nuclear deal and put unilateral sanctions on Iran, Iran\u2019s economy\nhad suffered a $200 billion loss, and the country faces a shortage of resources\nto combat the coronavirus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gholamhossein Dehghani wrote in an article published by\nEuroNews that US sanctions have weakened Iran\u2019s economic ability to fight the\ncoronavirus effectively, and the impact can be seen in the high number of\ndeaths, particularly among Iran\u2019s healthcare providers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not the first time an Iranian official has talked about\na $200 billion loss due to US sanctions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that\nIran had lost roughly $200 billion due to sanctions over the past three years.\nA large part of this loss is because of a severe drop in Iran\u2019s oil exports. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

America says that Iran\u2019s oil revenues are spent on funding\nterrorist groups and developing missiles and nuclear arsenal, which is why it\nsanctioned Iran\u2019 oil exports. According to the IMF\u2019s estimates, Iran\u2019s crude\noil exports prior to the sanctions in 2018 reached about $62 billion, and Iran\nexported 2.5 million bpd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dehghani said that the coronavirus outbreak in Iran is not\njust a threat to Iran but to the entire region and the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, Iran asked for a $5 billion loan from the IMF in\norder to fight coronavirus; the IMF hasn\u2019t responded yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Farda<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motahari: We are in\nTransition From the Islamic Republic to an Islamic State<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An Iranian lawmaker said that the Iranian establishment is\ntransforming from a republic into an Islamic state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali Motahari stated in an interview that \u201cwe are in\ntransition from the Islamic Republic to an Islamic state,\u201d adding that \u201csome\nindividuals within the establishment are seriously after creating an Islamic\nstate as they think public votes are just an embellishment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motahari said that these individuals view the Parliament as just\nan advisory entity that executes the supreme leader\u2019s decisions, adding that\nthe next president must be appointed by the supreme leader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Iranian lawmaker stated that \u201cparticipating in elections\nhas no impact on our destiny anymore,\u201d emphasizing that \u201celective entities are\njust decorative and decisions are made elsewhere.\u201d He explained that in the Parliament\nthey keep receiving messages from the supreme leader, while the speaker of the Parliament\nis always waiting to receive orders from the supreme leader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali Motahari wanted to run for the next Parliament but was\ndisqualified by the Guardian Council. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Farda<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nEuropean Union to Give 20 Million Euros to Iran in order to Fight COVID-19<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs Josep\nBorrell said that the European Union will give 20 million euros to Iran as\nhumanitarian aid in order for the country to fight COVID-19. He added that the\nmoney will be paid to Iran in the next few weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borrell also said that the European Union will back Iran\u2019s\nrequest for a loan from the IMF. Iran has asked for $5 billion from the IMF but\nit has not responded so far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Josep Borrell, Europe has decided to back the\nIMF\u2019s humanitarian aid to Iran and Venezuela in order to fight the coronavirus\ndisease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to official statistics, so far 22,000 people in\nIran have been infected by COVID-19, of which 1,800 have died. Iran\u2019s Health\nMinistry says that every 10 minutes an Iranian dies due to COVID-19. The death\ntoll due to COVID-19 in Iran is said to be much higher than what has been\nofficially announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Farda<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pompeo: Khamenei\u2019s Fabrications Endanger Iranian Lives US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the Iranian supreme leader\u2019s remarks regarding the US role in producing the coronavirus were a \u201cfabrication,\u201d emphasizing that such remarks will put the Iranian people and the world more at risk. In a statement, Pompeo said that \u201cKhamenei\u2019s fabrications about Wuhan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":7759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[2633,4363,4446,386,3318,239,4599,38,1871,4431,4433,4601,2723,4600],"class_list":["post-7752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iran-in-a-week","tag-ali-motahari","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-khamenei","tag-mike-pompeo","tag-motahari","tag-ranian-legislator","tag-rouhani","tag-rouhanis-government","tag-the-coronavirus","tag-the-coronavirus-in-iran","tag-the-european-union","tag-us-sanctions","tag-us-sanctions-on-irans-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7752"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7752\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9212,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7752\/revisions\/9212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}