As the coronavirus pandemic claims more lives in Iran, there are several questions to answer: Who must be blamed for the spread of this deadly disease? Who should be held to account for the lack of medications – the regime or the International sanctions? And finally, what is the solution?
To answer the first question, it is important to explain the chain of events in Iran which led to the spread of the coronavirus, which according to the reports published by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI, Mujahedin-e Khalq or MEK) has claimed lives of over 6,400 as of March 18.
The news of the coronavirus outbreak started circulating on social media and was reported by MEK sources in February. Reports from Iran at that time indicated there had been dozens of deaths because of this deadly virus in the city of Qom. Yet, the Iranian regime vehemently denied the existence of this virus, despite knowing the truth. This was for two reasons: First, the regime’s sham parliamentary elections, and second, the regime’s ridiculous parade on the anniversary of the anti-monarchic revolution. The regime needed the maximum public turnout during the parliamentary elections and its so-called “anniversary of the Islamic revolution.” After its deadly crackdown on the Iran protests in November by killing over 1500 people, shooting down the Ukrainian airliner and country’s economic downfall due to institutionalized corruption, the regime was expecting to have a much lower turnout at the elections or even lower public participation at its anniversary parade, so it had to cover up the spread of the coronavirus to somehow increase the public presence, however, it failed.
In a shameless admission two days after the election, the regime’s Interior Minister, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, said: “Some had recommended delaying the elections, and insisted on delaying elections in Qom. But, as the official in charge of the elections, I refused to approve these recommendations.”
After days of denial, the regime continued its cover-up and inaction and since then, it has been trying to downplay the dimensions of this novel crisis. This is while satellite images of mass graveyards in the Iranian city of Qom expose the regime’s criminal cover-up of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran. Earlier reports and footages by the MEK network from Qom had confirmed the existence of these graveyards, particularly the excavation of a new massive graveyard in Qom’s cemetery, dubbed the “Crisis section.”
In this regard, the regime’s president, Hassan Rouhani, who had previously suggested that the crisis will be over by March 7, 2020, ridiculously claimed that “We have now passed the peak in Qom and Gilan, our two most difficult cities… In Gilan, 20% of hospital beds are empty.”
Meanwhile, Alireza Zali, head of Operations to Counter Coronavirus in Tehran, said: “Officials do not have a correct picture of our hospitals. They would realize the depth of the crisis only if they saw the number of hospitalized patients and those in critical condition.”
Given the facts above, clearly, it was the regime itself which expedited the spread of the coronavirus across Iran and turned Iran into an epicenter of the disease.
The regime’s lobby, to whitewash the inaction of the regime in controlling the outbreak of the virus, claim sanctions imposed by the US on the regime because of its malign activities have resulted in the scarcity of the medical equipment, making more people vulnerable to COVID-19. Yet, this is not the truth. A report published by the “Asra think-tank” which is close to the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, in its conclusion, highlighted the possibility of a nationwide uprising, foretelling that due to the regime’s hoarding which has resulted in the shortage of medication and preventive measures against the coronavirus, people will attack and loot pharmacies and stores. The coronavirus epidemic in Iran, the nationwide shortage of facilities and lack of a centralized crisis management could turn local riots into nationwide uprisings.
“With the spread of the coronavirus to the whole country, the shortage of health and hospital equipment was quite evident, and widespread hoarding was taking place in these areas. This led to market turmoil and increased prices for these commodities. Rising prices and a shortage of goods in the coming months, and with the spread of the virus, could lead to the looting of stores and pharmacies.” Reads the “Asra think-tank” report.
Footages obtained by the MEK’s network show tons of masks and disinfectants stockpiled by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), ready to be sold at a much higher price in the black market.
On the other hand, the regime’s institutionalized corruption and its need to invest and use the national wealth to fuel its suppression machine domestically and funding of terrorism abroad prevent it from accepting any substantial help from a third party. In fact, the regime seeks to find a breakthrough from the international crushing sanctions, under the pretext of needing resources for and materials to combat the coronavirus. In this regard, in a meeting on Sunday, March 8, with the Iraqi National Security Advisor Faleh Fayyaz, Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the regime’s Supreme National Security Council, said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to help Iraq in fighting this disease.” He also said Iran will donate 2 million face masks to Iran. He said this while young Iranian nurses are dying due to shortages of face masks and essential medical equipment.
In this regard, Rouhani’s remarks are notable. He blatantly said: “One should compare Tehran with London, Berlin, and Paris…and see their empty store shelves. People fight each other over napkins, are worried and upset about their food; their hospitals announce that they have no more empty beds, but we delivered.”
What is the solution?
The regime, while downplaying the dimension of the coronavirus outbreak, tries to either blame the international community for the shortage of medications, to force them to stop sanctions, so it could continue its rule via terrorism and oppression. In a nutshell, instead of helping victims the regime uses their blood to achieve its malign goals and plays with the lives of the Iranian people. If not, why has it increased its military forces in cities and declared unofficial martial law?
The regime is the main source of all crises in Iran and the region, and it must be toppled.
As Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: “The medical and sanitary resources must be taken out of the regime’s possession and placed at our people’s disposal. IRGC hospitals and medical centers belonging to Khamenei’s representatives have top-quality medical facilities and they must be opened to all the people and all Coronavirus patients.”
“Yes, through rebellion and waging a struggle that is a hundred times greater, the mullahs’ rule, characterized by crimes and cruelty, will be overthrown and the great spring will arrive after this cold and bleak winter,” Mrs. Rajavi added.
Mrs. Rajavi reiterated: “The international aid should be directly provided to hospitals and the public without the intervention of the mullahs’ predatory regime. The World Health Organization, therefore, must in particular help these disadvantaged people because the regime will do nothing for them.”