- Iranians holding Ashura mourning for Imam Hussein
- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
- ‘Iran to become self-sufficient in producing aircraft engines'
- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
- Neanderthal tooth unearthed near Iran’s Zagros mountain
- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
Iran's Health Minister Saeed Namaki has said that Iran is on the brink of containing the COVID-19 outbreak in most of the country’s provinces.
In a written statement published on Friday, Namaki said that Iran has been able to curb the outbreak using its own “successful model” despite lacking the financial and material support enjoyed by other countries.
“Despite circumstances arising of sanctions and economic warfare, no patient was left abandoned behind hospital doors and no patient lacked needed drugs and medical care during the peak of the virus across cities,” he added.
The health minister added that Iran’s virus response was developed on scientific models and years of past experience “eradicating infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, polio, measles, mumps and tetanus”.
Namaki added that the country was seeking to gradually reopen businesses as part of “smart distancing” program to reduce the economic impacts of US sanctions, and restrictive measures adopted to slow the virus spread.
He note that if the ministry concludes that the reopening of businesses is resulting in “any negative impact on managing the disease, we will swiftly demand a re-imposition of restrictions“.
Speaking about the gradual reopening of businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic earlier this month, Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said that the measures were necessary as Iran is “fighting both the coronavirus and sanctions”.
The sanctions, imposed on the country after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018, targeted much-need humanitarian aid and needed finances from reaching the country.
The bans come despite an International Court of Justice ruling banning Washington’s aid-related sanctions in 2018.
Numerous world leaders and figures, many within the US, have called on Washington to stop its unilateral sanctions against Iran as the country grapples with the virus.
In a tweet on Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed China’s support for Iran and announced a joint condemnation against US sanctions against the country.
Before facing its own outbreak, Tehran had sent numerous aid shipments to China as it faced its peak in coronavirus cases.
Speaking on Friday, Iran’s Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour reported 1,499 new infections and 89 more deaths from the virus over the 24 hours to Friday.
In total, 79,494 Iranians have contracted the disease and 4,958 have died, he pointed out, saying 54,064 patients have recovered so far.
‘US should sanction China, like Iran’
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has blamed Beijing for the coronavirus pandemic and has called on Washington to impose sanctions similar to those imposed on Iran, the Washington Examiner cited him as saying on Thursday.
“What did we do to Iran who is the bad actor? We sanctioned Iran. What should we do to the largest state sponsor of pandemics on the globe? We should sanction China to get them to change their behavior," he said.
Graham’s remarks blaming China for the pandemic, however, come a few days after the US military claimed that US intelligence points that the virus may have occurred naturally.
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