Despite a series of unjust US sanctions, Iran managed to push up its copper exports to one billion dollars in the past calendar year (ending March 19, 2020), doubled in comparison with the same period in preceding year.

Iran’s largest metals and mining holding, said on Sunday that the value of exports for main copper products reached more than $1 billion over the past year, a senior official at IMIDRO was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Mohammad Aqajanlou said that total sales of the National Iranian Copper Industry Company (NICICO) topped 220 trillion rials, nearly $1.5 billion, a milestone in the 48-year-history of the company.

Aqajanlou added that total turnover for the Iranian copper industry exceeded $4.5 billion over the past year and the NICICO posted a return on investment of 143 percent.

He said another historic achievement for the copper smelters in Iran was to reach a total output of 1.18 million metric tons of concentrate last year while production for copper cathode reached an all-time high of 250,130 tons.

He said that copper cathode accounted for more than two thirds of total domestic consumption for purified copper which was over 160,000 tons over the past year.

That means that copper concentrate, a relatively raw from of the metal, accounted for a bulk of Iran’s exports, an issue which has faced criticism with many believing the NICICO should create more capacity for using copper concentrate inside Iran rather than shipping it in large quantities to countries like China.

Aqajanlou rejected the criticism and said the current supply and demand situation in the Iranian copper industry makes exports of concentrates more preferable.

Some experts also believe that rising exports for raw copper at a time of increased American bans on Iran’s trade of lucrative metals could also help the government access new hard currency resources.

In early January 2020, the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Iran on Friday, including penalties on the Islamic Republic’s metals and some senior government officials. Following Tehran’s retaliation for the assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the new measures at a press conference at the White House .

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi lambasted Washington for the new sanctions, saying, “Unfortunately, the Americans have adopted unilateral, illegal and fruitless behaviors and are stressing to repeat them.”

“Such efforts will be to no avail,” Mousavi said, adding, “The American regime will finally be forced to accept its failure.”

He said the new sanctions are a clear violation of UN Resolution 2231 and have targeted the industries that are directly related to the normal life of millions of Iranians.

Iran’s gross domestic product (GDP), excluding the oil sector, is expected to register a positive growth rate of 1.8 percent in the current Iranian year (to end March 19), the Majlis Research Center said in a report on Iran’s economy.

“Although due to the significant negative growth rate of the oil sector, economic growth in the country will continue to be negative in 1398 [the current Iranian calendar year] but oil-free economic growth is estimated at 1.8 percent for the year,” the report said, icana.ir reported.

The report put the growth for the country’s agriculture, industry, energy, construction, and the service sectors at 5.5 percent, 1.5 percent, and 10 percent, as well as 14.5 and 0.5 percent, respectively, for the current Iranian year.

Last week, the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) reported that the country’s non-oil gross domestic product has recorded a positive growth rate of 0.9 percent in the third quarter of the current year (September 23-December 21, 2019).

The overall GDP growth, including oil production, however, stood at -1.7 percent for the period, according to new data provided by the head of the Statistical Center of Iran, Javad Hosseinzadeh.

Economic growth in the first three quarters was minus 7.6 percent. By excluding oil, the figure stands at zero percent.

The sectors of agriculture, industry, mines, and services registered growth rates of 3.2 percent, minus 16.6 percent, and minus 0.2 percent, respectively, for the three quarters.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says friendly countries should exert pressure on the United States to lift its “cruel and one-sided” sanctions against Tehran at the current juncture that the Islamic Republic is diligently fighting the deadly new coronavirus pandemic.

In a phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, the Iranian president emphasized that it is more difficult for Iran in comparison with other countries to battle the coronavirus when it is under the US sanctions.

“The US administration has not only violated international regulations by imposing illegal sanctions on Iran, but is also breaching health regulations ratified by the World Health Organization in 2005 through its measures under the current circumstances,” Rouhani said.

The Iranian president once again expressed the country’s readiness to return to full compliance with its commitments under the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it clinched with major world powers in 2015 only if all sanctions against the country are removed.

“The removal of sanctions and fulfillment of its commitments by Europe are a necessity, which has become more significant at the current specific situation,” the Iranian president pointed out.

The United States reinstated its sanctions against Iran in May 2018 after leaving a United Nations-endorsed nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic and five other major powers — the UK, France, Russia, China plus Germany.

Since then, Washington has corded other countries to follow suit and mount pressure on Iran or face punishment.
Former world officials: US sanctions compromising Iran healthcare system amid pandemic

The United States has refused to lift sanctions on Iran and even tightened them several times in recent weeks, making it almost impossible for the Islamic Republic to access life-saving medications and medical equipment necessary in the fight against the deadly new coronavirus pandemic.

Iran says the unilateral US sanctions have seriously hampered its fight against the pandemic.

Anti Coronavirus operation all over IRAN/Photo+Video

Presenting the latest update on Monday, Iran’s Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour reported 2,274 new infections and 136 more deaths from the virus over the past 24 hours.

In total, 60,500 Iranians have tested positive for COVID-19 while 3,739 have died, he pointed out, adding that 24,236 patients have fully recovered so far.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian president welcomed an initiative by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to declare a global ceasefire amid the coronavirus pandemic, expressing hope that it would also include the economic war on Iran.

The UN chief on Friday renewed his call for a global ceasefire, urging all parties in conflict to lay down arms and allow war-torn nations to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

“The worst is yet to come,” Guterres said, referring to countries beset with fighting like Syria, Libya, and Yemen, adding, “The COVID-19 storm is now coming to all these theaters of conflict.”

Rouhani also described as “positive but insufficient” the initial steps taken to implement INSTEX, a trade mechanism set up by Britain, France and Germany in 2019 to protect companies doing business with Iran from Washington’s sanctions. He emphasized that the mechanism should not be limited only to medical equipment and food, but must be also implemented in a way that would enable Iran to “use it to meet all our country’s requirements.”

The three European signatories to the JCPOA unveiled the long-awaited direct non-dollar payment mechanism meant to safeguard their trade ties with Tehran following the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and in the face of the “toughest ever” sanctions imposed by the United States against the Islamic Republic./ Press TV

The guardian, Pirouz Hanachi is the mayor of Tehran: As mayor of Tehran I have seen lives lost as a result of medical shortages. This is no time for vindictive politics .To many of us urban administrators in Iran, the onslaught of coronavirus has underscored an important fact of life: no town, city or nation can be indifferent to global crises, even in far-flung corners of our world.

Indeed, while the mantra of good governance over the past century has been to “think global, act local”, we must today think and act both locally and globally.

Unfortunately, the small-mindedness that has dominated the politics of various countries in past years has not dissipated. Rather, those who have aggressively advocated pursuit of narrowly defined “national interests” at any cost are doubling down. The consequences of this posturing are many.

In Iran, urban administrators are left facing an unprecedented public health crisis. Figures show that 3,160 had died from the disease by 2 April and there are more than 50,000 cases of infection. The rate of infections is not yet slowing, and many of them are in Tehran, the city of which I am mayor.

Doubtless there are things that we could do differently, like every country in the world. But we are operating against the backdrop of the most extreme sanctions regime in history. The US embargo not only prohibits American companies and individuals from conducting lawful trade with Iranian counterparts, but given that the sanctions are extra-territorial, all other countries and companies are also bullied into refraining from doing legitimate business with Iranians, even the selling of medicines.

As a result, the ability of my colleagues and I to provide the health, logistical and other essential infrastructure necessary to combat the disease has been drastically reduced. We experience this loss every day, and it can be counted in people that would not have died.
This unjust treatment of Iran has come about via the policies of one country – the United States – whose ruling administration does not seem to prioritise even its own national interests, but instead the narrow interests of a governing party. The outcome of such irresponsible policies and behaviour is not limited to Iran; they have also inflicted harm on the American public.

Indeed, the Donald Trump administration’s refusal to halt its economic warfare against Iran is directly impeding our efforts to deal with a virus which knows no borders. Is it in the US’s national interest for the coronavirus pandemic to become permanent?

In order to better confront these new global crises, there is a need for politicians to realise that the path to pursuing national interests is not separate or contrary to that of global interests and international accountability.

Of equal importance, it must be recognised that as long as the general consensus in international politics does not actively move toward reducing injustice and inequality beyond national and racial boundaries, global crises will continue to indiscriminately endanger every country in the world.

The world cannot go on like this. If global leaders fail to seize the opportunity to embrace change, we will all continue to remain highly vulnerable to communicable diseases, environmental catastrophes, global warming, terrorism, violent extremism and other shared threats.

President Masoud Pezeshkian says that Iran has no problem with negotiations, but the tragedies that the Israeli regime has caused in the region and Iran have made the situation critical, stressing that Iran hopes that after passing this crisis, Iran could return to the negotiating table. “Of course, this requires one condition, and that is trust in the negotiation process. The Zionist regime should not be allowed to attack again in the middle of the negotiations.”

President Pezeshkian made the remarks in a virtual interview with American commentator and conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson, which was released on Monday.

The President said that the United States, as an ally of the Israeli regime, “must not allow Israel to ignite the region,” emphasizing that it is not Iran that seeks war but it is the Israeli regime who wants to escalate tensions in the region.

The full interview is as follows:

Carlson: Thank you, Mr. President. It seems that there is currently a pause in the conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America. In your view, how will this situation ultimately end? And how would you like this conflict to be resolved?

President Pezeshkian: “We did not start the war, and we do not wish for any war to continue. From the day I assumed responsibility, my motto has been to foster unity at home and establish peace and tranquility with our neighbors and the world.”

Carlson: You speak of peace, Mr. President. On the other hand, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, believes that the recent U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities was driven by the conviction that the Islamic Republic of Iran is unwilling to abandon its nuclear program. According to Mr. Trump, achieving peace will not be possible unless Iran gives up this program. Are you willing to forgo the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear program in the pursuit of peace?

President Pezeshkian: “The reality is that since 1992, Netanyahu has consistently tried to portray Iran as pursuing nuclear weapons. Every US president who has come to office has bought this lie. Netanyahu has tried to convince US presidents of this lie — that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon. We have never pursued nuclear weapons, are not pursuing them, and will never pursue them. This is a religious edict and decree (fatwa) from the Supreme Leader, which has been corroborated by our full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Unfortunately however, their recent conduct disrupted our cooperation.”

Carlson: Does this mean that you confirm the reports indicating that the Islamic Republic of Iran has ceased its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency? Under such circumstances, there would no longer be any way to determine the amount of uranium present, its enrichment level, or percentage — essentially, the international community would have no knowledge of what actions Iran is taking within the framework of its nuclear program. In your view, how can the verification process for Iran’s nuclear program be carried out from now on? And is it possible for other countries to participate in this process?

President Pezeshkian: “Mr. Carlson, we were at the negotiating table. We were in talks; the US President had asked us to engage in talks to establish peace. During those talks, we were told that without US permission, Israel would not launch any attacks. Yet, just before the sixth round — while we were still negotiating — Netanyahu practically dropped a bomb on the negotiating table and destroyed diplomacy. As for verification, we are prepared to engage in talks and agree on verification. We have never evaded verification and remain ready for its resumption. However, following the US strike on our nuclear facilities, many sites and equipment were destroyed and are not easily accessible. We must wait and see whether or not access becomes feasible again.”

Carlson: Reports have been published suggesting that your government believes the International Atomic Energy Agency has spied on Iran’s nuclear facilities and passed classified information to the Zionist regime. Do you endorse this view? And if so, do you have any evidence to support this claim that you would be willing to present to the international community?

President Pezeshkian: regarding trust in the Agency, Israel’s misuse of inspection information gave rise to some distrust. Nevertheless, we have always been ready to cooperate and allowed the IAEA to inspect all sites under its mandate. The mistrust was exacerbated when the Agency’s latest report gave Israel a pretext to launch illegal attacks on our nuclear sites. Regrettably, the IAEA did not even condemn this attack on facilities under its own oversight, which we had accepted under the NPT. From the standpoint of international law, this is unacceptable and has caused serious distrust among our people and lawmakers toward the Agency.

Carlson: You mentioned that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always avoided war and sought to resolve its disputes with the United States through diplomacy. However, this process was suddenly disrupted by an incident. I would now like to ask: Are you willing to make a fresh start on the path of diplomacy once again? In other words, is there a possibility of a “restart” in the negotiations? And if so, in your view, what should an ideal agreement with the United States look like, and on what basis should it be reached?

President Pezeshkian: “In my view, we could have easily resolved our issues through dialogue. The framework for negotiations can be based on international law and the rights of states. We have had — and continue to have — no demand other than respect for international law. It is Netanyahu who has thrown the region into chaos and attempted to torpedo dialogue. We are seeking peace. I believe that in our small world today, human beings must live together in peace and harmony. But we were attacked. Our nation has the ability to defend itself. I believe the US President has a choice: to move the region toward peace and security, or to drag it into forever wars.”

Carlson: Do you have any plans to reenter negotiations with the United States of America — whether those talks are with the current U.S. representative, Mr. Witkoff, or someone else? And if there are no such plans, in your view, what might happen if this situation continues?

President Pezeshkian: “We have no problem with negotiation. But the atrocities Israel has committed in the region and against our country, and its war crimes, including assassinating our off-duty commanders in their homes, murdering our scientists along with their families and children, killing innocent civilians, and bombing pregnant women have caused a crisis. To kill one individual, they brought down entire buildings, burying innocent people under the rubble. We hope that once we overcome this travesty, it will once again be possible to return to the negotiating table. However, that has a prerequisite: confidence in the negotiation process. Israel must not be allowed to attack again right in the middle of talks and ignite a new war.”

Carlson: Do you believe that the Israeli government has attempted to assassinate you?

President Pezeshkian: “There were attempts, and actions were taken. But we believe that if God wills, a person will survive — and if not, one could perish even while walking. We are ready to defend our people, our independence, and the freedom of our land to the last breath, and we are not afraid of death. But in the world, we live in, destabilizing the region by shedding blood, committing murder, looting, and evil illusions is truly disgraceful.”

Carlson: If you permit, I would like to return to this topic once more. So far, there is no official report indicating that the United States of America has attempted to assassinate you, nor has this matter been confirmed by any official institutions. Could you please provide further clarification on this issue?

President Pezeshkian: “This was carried out by Israel and not by the United States. We were in an internal meeting reviewing our programs when they bombed our building, using the information gathered by their spies. But when God does not will it, nothing happens. We have never feared death or martyrdom in the path of our country’s independence and dignity. In the face of Israel’s imposed war, our people and homeland achieved greater unity and cohesion. Iran is a civilization, and the Iranian people may have disagreements on various issues, but every Iranian, wherever they may be in the world, knows the value of their country’s territorial integrity and will defend it. My advice to the US government is: do not get dragged into a war fueled by Netanyahu’s satanic aspirations and his acts of genocide. It would start the real forever wars, one that brings nothing but terror and insecurity to the region.”

Carlson: Many people in the United States still fear Iran and are concerned that Iran might attack the U.S. with a nuclear bomb. They see videos in which some people in Iran chant “Death to America” and refer to the United States as the “Great Satan.” In your opinion, are these concerns realistic? And should the American people be afraid of Iran?

President Pezeshkian: “I don’t believe that this is an accurate image of Iran. In the past 200 years, not once has Iran attacked another country. The chanting of “Death to America,” by no means refers to the American people, or even officials. It means “Death to crime,” “Death to killing,” “Death to supporting massacres,” and “Death to policies that destabilize the region.” Have you ever seen an Iranian commit a terrorist act in the US? I haven’t. To the best of our knowledge, no Iranian has ever pursued terror or unrest. But there were others in the region, who were trained by the United States according to US President himself, namely, Daesh (ISIS), who brought terror and crimes not only to the region but even to the US, and tarnished the global image of our religion and beliefs. Our “Death to…” slogan is against crime and insecurity — not human beings. Any actor who supports crime and insecurity is condemned by our people. It’s not against anyone as a human being.”

Carlson: Two of Iran’s prominent sources of emulation and senior clerics have issued fatwas against Donald Trump, the President of the United States. In your view, what is the meaning and significance of these fatwas?

President Pezeshkian: “As far as I know, no fatwa has been issued against any specific individual. The fatwa that was published — which, I should clarify, has no relation to the government or the Supreme Leader — simply states that insulting religious figures or beliefs is, from a doctrinal perspective, condemned and unacceptable. This fatwa is not directed against the US President or any other particular individual. The scholars were expressing their views, but certainly never meant or implied murder or threats.”

Carlson: Considering that a significant number of Iranian nationals live in the United States, some believe that these individuals are so-called “sleepers” or undercover agents waiting to receive orders from you to carry out violent or terrorist actions within U.S. soil. Would you like to send a message to them from here, asking them to refrain from any violent actions on United States territory?

President Pezeshkian: “To be honest, many of the points you’ve raised are things I’m hearing for the first time as an Iranian. Have you ever seen anything other than science, knowledge, civility, and empathy from Iranians living in the US? These are images Israel and those who try to foster conflict and instability promote. They try to frighten the public and decision-makers in order to drag America into a war that has no benefit for it.”

Carlson: In the early days of the revolution, it seemed that Iran had some economic relations with Israel, and it is even said that at that time, some weapons were transferred from Israel to Iran. What factor caused such a fundamental change in the relations between Iran and Israel? And who was responsible for this change of course?

President Pezeshkian: “What has happened in full view of the world at the hands of Israel is entirely clear. In Gaza, Netanyahu bombs children, women, schools, and universities in cold blood. He has cut off water, food, and medicine. These actions constitute genocide. This behavior is rejected by the people of the region. To my knowledge, Iran has never acquired weapons from Israel and has never sought war. These wars were imposed on us. We did not start the war with Iraq. Today as well, Israel has attacked us. We did not seek war, but unfortunately, they are trying to even drag the US into this conflict.”

Carlson: Do you believe that, as a result of diplomatic exchanges between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, it is possible to achieve a world in which American companies once again invest in Iran, sanctions are lifted, and ultimately peace is established? Is such a situation your intended goal?

President Pezeshkian: “Since I took office, I have first tried to strengthen unity and cohesion within the country and then establish healthy and constructive relations with our neighbors. In a conversation I had with the Supreme Leader, he indicated that American investors can operate in Iran without any barrier. This is the view of our beloved Leader of the Revolution. Unfortunately, it is Israel that is obstructing peace in the region. In my view, the U.S. President — Mr. Trump — can either rein in Israel and help move the region toward peace and security, or fall into the trap of Netanyahu and his forever wars. This decision is up to the U.S. President to make. We have always been — and still are — ready for economic, industrial, and commercial cooperation with Americans. But it is the U.S. sanctions that have prevented their presence in our country.”

Carlson: Mr. President, as my final question, may I ask: In the event of a broader war against the Islamic Republic of Iran, how likely do you think it is that Iran’s allies, including China and Russia, will support Iran economically or militarily? And do you expect such support?

President Pezeshkian: “What matters most to us is our belief in God and our convictions. We have the capability to defend ourselves, and if necessary, we will stand our ground to our last breath to protect our country and territorial integrity. We are not seeking war. We have repeatedly said that we are not pursuing nuclear weapons. But a false perception has taken root in the minds of some American politicians — a misperception that Netanyahu, with his warmongerings, continues to reinforce. Any war in this region will set the entire Middle East ablaze with fire and insecurity. If the US President wants such a future, he can continue down this path. But if he seeks peace — as I believe we should all move toward peace and stability — he must not allow Israel to ignite the region. The US President can end war and bloodshed by containing Netanyahu. This decision depends on the policies of the US President,” Pezeshkian said while commenting on US President Donald Trump’s policies on the region, including the Zionist regime and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”

Carlson: Mr. President, I sincerely thank you for the opportunity you have given us and for the time you dedicated to sharing your views and perspectives.

President Pezeshkian: “I thank you for the opportunity to share with you what we hold in our hearts and believe in. I hope the people and government of the United States will pursue and realize peace and tranquility for their country and the region. Thank you for this opportunity.”

In the latest update by Iranian Health Ministry on Thursday no COVID-related deaths were reported over the past 24 hours.

It is the first zero daily death toll since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country in early 2020.

Iran’s Health Minister Bahram Einollahi issued a message in which he hailed the zero daily COVID death toll after the country’s 2 year and 100 days of fight against the pandemic.

Bahram Einollahi said that Iran witnessed its first day without any COVID-related deaths while high death tolls are reported in the United States and Europe.

He congratulated Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the whole Iranian nation on this achievement.

He called on the Iranian nation to observe the health protocols until the country celebrates the end of the pandemic.

Coronavirus figures kept declining in Iran thanks to the government’s mass vaccination campaign. So far, 64,550,043 people have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine, 57,866,919 people the second dose and 27,562,033 people the third dose, and the total number of vaccines injected in the country reached 149,978,995 doses.

Coronavirus and US Sanction against IRAN

Iran has been battling one of the deadliest outbreaks in the world, with the crippling sanctions slapped on the country by the US significantly hampering the country’s efforts to rein in the spread of the virus and provide vaccines from other countries.

The sanctions were imposed by the administration of former President Donald Trump under a “maximum pressure” campaign and have been maintained by the current administration of Joe Biden, which has refused to soften the bans to ease pandemic-related hardship on Iranians.

Iranian officials have described the sanctions as “economic terrorism” and “medical terrorism” for their deadly impact on ordinary people.

The bans, however, backfired and helped the Islamic Republic rely on its own medical and pharmaceutical capacities to develop domestically-manufactured anti-COVID vaccine, so much so that the country’s health experts rose through the ranks and promoted Iran as one of the few exporters of the coronavirus jabs.

It was only hours before the year 2020 began that China made public the emergence of a highly contagious new respiratory disease – or COVID-19. The world, which prior to the announcement, seemed more than capable of controlling and containing a potential outbreak, has since been crawling on its feet, struggling to adapt to a “new normal.”
In late February, the virus found its way to Iran prompting officials to introduce sweeping measures like the closure of schools, sports clubs, and even mosques and other religious sites across the country. People were also strictly advised to stay home and practice social distancing when outdoors.

It was in late March and as Iran’s sports community was still reeling from the shock of the pandemic, the suspension of all sporting events and the postponement of the olympic games to 2021 when it received another bitter blow; the country’s lone Olympic track and field medalist, Ehsan Hadadi, had tested positive for the coronavirus.

After recovering from the malicious disease Ehsan recounted his experience battling the virus. He said:
“It was really difficult to breathe but I hadn’t lost hope. Fear is your worst enemy while fighting this disease. If you are afraid, you can not overcome this. My high morale was a great help. This disease is no joke. It can infect anyone. So, whoever you are, stay home and take safety guidelines seriously.”
Aside from finicalical implications, the postponement of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo has also had a ripple effect on the morale of the athletes who saw their childhood dreams put on hold and years of training extended. 52 Iranian athletes who have already qualified for 11 events now have to reset their mental preparations.

The 2020 Olympics – now the 2021 Olympics- are the first ever games to be postponed in peace-time. The event that was initially scheduled to start July 24 is now pushed all the way back to the summer of 2021.
This decision came out of a phone call between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on March 25 to make sure athletes can compete in their best condition and spectators can enjoy safe games.
The National Olympic Academy of Iran had to – naturally- suspend its activities following an order by Iran’s coronavirus control center. But the Academy continued its consultation services for athletes online or over the phone. It also started offering online courses for PE teachers in Olympics Values Education.

For a period of time, Iran was behind China with the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths. But the country soon recovered from the first wave of the outbreak and assumed the control of the situation despite US economic sanctions that have drastically constrained the ability of the country to finance humanitarian imports, including medicines and medical equipment.

Iranian athletes and champions released a video clip in solidarity with the people of the world which was warmly received by the sports community and was shared on the website of Association of National Olympic Committees.

In recent history, we Iranians have gone through years of war and sanctions. And I am only sure that we will put this new crisis behind us victoriously. So keep your spirits up and never lose hope.

Iran Olympic Review
Episode 1: Iran and Coronavirus covid-19
Reporter: Farbod Khalili
Cameraman: Mohsen Roushandeh
Video Editor: Amirhassan Saadati
Editor in chief and producer: Sadeq Hosseini
Production: Public Relation Of Iran National Olympic Committee & Iran This Way
www.olympic.ir
www.iranthisway.com

Mayor of London Sadiq Aman Khan has said that many of the measures taken in London to counter coronavirus are similar to those taken in Tehran, and Tehran is even ahead.

Khan made the remarks in an online meeting with Tehran mayor Pirouz Hanachi on Friday.

Referring to the conditions imposed on Iran by U.S. sanctions, Khan said: “In meetings with the British government officials, I would tell them about the problems of Tehran in relation to sanctions and I hope that this problem will be solved soon.”

Hanachi for his part noted that Iran is fighting coronavirus and sanctions at the same time, adding “Despite the pandemic, start-up businesses have been activated in Iran and many services were provided in person before the outbreak, are now done online and on virtual networks.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hanachi said that in the global crisis, countries usually put aside their differences and problems and try to help each other so that the situation does not get worse.

To many of us urban administrators in Iran, the onslaught of coronavirus has underscored an important fact of life: no town, city or nation can be indifferent to global crises, even in far-flung corners of our world, Hanachi told The Guardian on April 4.

Indeed, while the mantra of good governance over the past century has been to “think global, act local”, we must today think and act both locally and globally.

Doubtless, there are things that we could do differently, like every country in the world. But we are operating against the backdrop of the most extreme sanctions regime in history.

The US embargo not only prohibits American companies and individuals from conducting lawful trade with Iranian counterparts, but given that the sanctions are extra-territorial, all other countries and companies are also bullied into refraining from doing legitimate business with Iranians, even the selling of medicines.

This unjust treatment of Iran has come about via the policies of one country – the United States – whose ruling administration does not seem to prioritize even its own national interests, but instead the narrow interests of a governing party. The outcome of such irresponsible policies and behavior is not limited to Iran; they have also inflicted harm on the American public.

In order to better confront these new global crises, there is a need for politicians to realize that the path to pursuing national interests is not separate or contrary to that of global interests and international accountability.

The world cannot go on like this. If global leaders fail to seize the opportunity to embrace change, we will all continue to remain highly vulnerable to communicable diseases, environmental catastrophes, global warming, terrorism, violent extremism and other shared threats.

Health Minister Saeed Namaki has said that the daily death toll and positive cases of coronavirus in Iran have dropped respectively to one third over the course of three weeks, which is a source of honor for the country amid the tough sanctions.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_XFfpKnJIY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

During the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic, Iran reported its first confirmed cases of Covid-19 infections on 19 February 2020 in Qom.
The virus may have been brought to the country by a businessman from Qom who had traveled to China.
In response to the coronavirus the Iran’s government cancelled public events and Friday prayers; closed schools, universities, shopping centers, bazaars, and holy shrines; and banned festival celebrations.

Iran coronavirus fatalities drop to double figures for first time in month

Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki says the number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus pandemic has dropped to double figures for the first time in one month.

Speaking to the Iranian people on Instagram live on Tuesday 14 April 2020, Namaki hailed the country’s “proper” fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that 98 deaths from the disease were registered in the past 24 hours.

“We are implementing smart distancing and have announced protocols for it. We want to say that we are currently at a more appropriate situation,” he said.

Namaki, however, warned that the country will face new challenges if health protocols and smart distancing are not observed properly.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the new deaths brought the total number of fatalities to 4,683 since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Iran in late February.

Jahanpour added 1,574 new infections had been recorded over the past 24 hours, taking the overall number of confirmed cases to 74,877.

He noted that 48,129 of hospitalized patients had recovered and been discharged, and that 3,691 people are in critical conditions.

Iran’s successful response to the virus comes despite the illegal US sanctions, which are hampering the country’s efforts to rein in the virus.

Iran has been employing strict precautionary measures since the virus surfaced in the country. It has heavily ramped up the required health services, including by increasing the number of hospital beds, and shot up the production of disinfectants and relevant sanitary items.

The Health Ministry reported Monday that new cases of coronavirus infections and deaths from the viral outbreak had been declining across most of the country’s 31 provinces.

President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Iran has handled the novel coronavirus outbreak better than Europe and the United States, assuring that the country’s stocks of basic commodities are replenished better than ever, unlike the scenario unfolding in the US and many other Western states.

Mohammad Reza Shanesaz, the head of Food and Drug Administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FDA) announced on Friday that three local companies are ready to produce the antiviral drug Favipiravir, which is said to be effective in the treatment of COVID-19, Mehr News Agency reported.

He said that production of Favipiravir in Iran is in the phase of clinical trials and as planned the primary substance of its will be domestically produced in the near future.

Shanehsaz added that in case of any deficiency, Iran has imports of anti-coronavirus medicine on agenda, as well.

On April 8, the Iranian version of antiviral drug Favipiravir, which is said to be effective in treating the coronavirus, begun clinical trials through efforts of researchers at Shahid Beheshti Medical University.

Researchers at Shahid Beheshti Medical University launched small trials of the antiviral drug Favipiravir at Masih Daneshvari Hospital, which is one of the leading medical centers treating patients with the new coronavirus infection in the Iranian capital.

On April 5, the head of Iran’s Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Ali Akbar Velayati, said Iran has produced Favipiravir for the first time.

“Fortunately, Favipiravir was produced for the first time at Shahid Beheshti Medical University’s School of Pharmacy and has been made available to Masih Daneshvari Hospital to be used for the treatment of coronavirus patients,” Velayati said.

The new development came as US sanctions hinder the country’s access to drugs and medical equipment.

The flu drug was hailed by Chinese health officials as “clearly effective” when used on 340 patients in trials there that showed reduced recovery time and improved lung function.