Ruhani: We also had a virus worse than corona; the virus of sanctions

“I don't want to compare, but there was a comparison between Iran and some European countries, that if the Minister of Welfare wants, he can explain it to the people that there is a big gap between the situation in Iran and the situation in Europe, let's assume that the number of our death cases is very small. For example, it was 7 or 5 percent, which was a very small number, and they were 22 percent in some countries, and in some countries it was more than 22 percent,” Ruhani said.

Ruhani went on to say: “Now some don't like such comparisons, and when we say that our situation is better than Europe's and their situation is worse than ours, they get angry. Well, yes! Our situation is better today. The reason is our good people, the commitment of the medical staff, the radio and television, the armed forces, cyberspace and dear artists, and the reason is that we have all joined hands.”

“Yes, we have the coronavirus and you have it, but we also had a virus worse than corona, and that is the virus of sanctions. You have one virus, we have two viruses, but our people resisted so well and took each other's hands, helped each other and helped each other,” Ruhani stated.

“This is an honor for everyone, for all our loved ones and all our people; yes, our situation is relatively good against this disease and the dangerous virus, and our situation is better with some countries that we compare,” Ruhani added.

Washington imposed sanctions on Iran after Trump pulled the U.S. out of an agreement between the U.S., the members of the United Nations Security Council and Iran to limit the country’s nuclear activities in exchange for easing sanctions on Iran.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Trump administration’s broad sanctions on Iran have drastically constrained the ability of the country to finance humanitarian imports, including medicines, causing serious hardships for ordinary Iranians and threatening their right to health.

The US sanctions has also impeded Iran’s fight against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Iran, one of the countries hardest hit by coronavirus pandemic, has so far reported 71,686 confirmed cases, with 4,474 deaths. (ILKHA)