IRGC Commander: Iran to Win Battle against Coronavirus

“Today, we are involved in a biological battle and the country will pave this difficult path with stability, consolidation and consistency and will see the end of (Iranian) year (March 19),” General Salami said, addressing a ceremony in the Southern province of Kerman on Thursday.

“We will win the battle against this virus which might be the result of a biological offensive that has first reached China and Iran and (then) other regions,” he added.

General Salami underlined that in case coronavirus is proved to be a biological weapon against China and Iran, the plot will backfire on those that have engineered it, as stated and promised in the Holy Quran – where God has promised that those who play a trick against him and the Muslims will suffer their own production.

In relevant remarks on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reassured that his country would overcome the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and denounced Western-based media outlets which are pouncing on the situation to instill disappointment among the people of his country.

“I promise our dear people that based on the expertise and determination of our doctors and nurses and sacrifices of all people, we will get through this problem with the minimum fatalities in the shortest possible time,” Rouhani said addressing a cabinet session.

He went on to appreciate the efforts put by the medical staff across the country to contain the virus, describing them as those on the frontline of the fight.

The number of patients firmly diagnosed with coronavirus infection in Iran has reached 3,513, health ministry announced on Thursday, raising the number of deaths to 107.

It added that 739 coronavirus patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals across the country.

As a preventive measure, Iranian authorities have ordered closure of educational and cultural institutions across the country and the gyms and sports events by the end of winter.

Reports from different cities and towns of Iran indicate strenuous efforts by the officials to help the coronavirus patients and prevent an epidemic.

Globally, more than 95,480 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 with over 3,280 deaths so far, the vast majority of them in China where the virus originated late last year.

The coronavirus is spreading in the Middle East, Europe, US and other parts of the world, while parts of China begin to lower their emergency response level as the number of new cases reported there continues to slow.

As the US death toll hit 11 Wednesday, both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared states of emergency and announced six additional cases of the deadly coronavirus that has health officials around the world scrambling for answers. More than 150 cases have been confirmed across the US. 

Tehran’s municipality announced that all the city’s public places, including the metro trains and buses, are being disinfected at the end of the line every hour as part of attempts to contain the spread of the virus.

Head of Food and Drug Administration Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz also said that pharmacies will no longer be allowed to sell protective masks and that masks will be distributed among the population via government-run centers free of charge, with the priority given to virus-hit provinces.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed Iran’s high capabilities to prevent an epidemic of novel coronavirus infection.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting last week to brief a WHO representative and the foreign ambassadors residing in Tehran on the latest preventive and therapeutic measures taken by the country to contain COVID-19, as the novel coronavirus is called.

In comments at the meeting, the WHO representative said Iran has the necessary fundamental capabilities to tackle the epidemic, and that Tehran’s performance has been as “successful and exemplary” in the region and the world.

The Iranian Health Ministry officials, who were also present at the meeting, reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the international health regulations and standards.

Iran enjoys all the technical and specialized capabilities needed to battle the coronavirus, they stressed.