With more than 29,000 Infected and more than 2,200 dead – these are the official Numbers on Friday, the actual are widely appreciated higher – is part of Iran with China, Italy and Spain to the so far hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic-affected countries. In spite of the dramatic situation, the Islamic Republic has rejected a first assistance sought by the organization “Doctors without borders” (MSF). The commented Sadegh Zibakalam, Professor of political science at Tehran University and recipient of the Freedom of Speech award of the DW, in a sarcastic Tweet from Tuesday: “First the ideology, then the health and life of the people. The fact that the political and ideological principles are in Iran, above all else, has shown itself in the rejection of the organization ‘Doctors without borders’ aptly. Have you rejected the help, also, if you would, for instance, came from the Russian side?”
“Doctors without borders” ready for the help
Michel-Olivier Lacharité, head of the Department of emergencies for MSF, explained to the DW which is actually planned, but then the non-conclusion of the aid measure for Iran as follows: “MSF can support the Iranian authorities by taking care of severe cases of COVID-19. Therefore we have brought at the Request of the Iranian authorities, medicines and inflatable components for the construction of a hospital, with 48 beds on the way. Our Team is made up of nine people, logisticians and medical Doctors who specialized in intensive care and in the location of the Teams in the Iranian Ministry of health at the time of Triage, hospitalization of severe cases, the support of intensive care and the work in the lab are.”
the construction of The clinic was planned in the particularly hard-hit Region of Isfahan in Central Iran. All the more surprising is the reversal of the Iranian Ministry of health, refused this aid and on the capacity of the authorities and the support by the military referred to the came. On the other hand, again not surprisingly, as Sadegh Zibakalam in the DW-Interview explained: “it is Exactly this behavior is the best proof of this is that the ideological attitude by Corona nothing has changed. It is this same enemy is a blessed attitude toward the West, which interprets each action in Iran as a disguised spy attempt, or political influence. ‘Doctors without borders’ are here to help. The responsibility for this short-sighted, irrational rejection, no one does. This is the arrogance of the leadership, which rejects any kind of Opening up to the world community, strictly shows. Such an attitude leads to outright absurd Statements that they wanted to offer, if needed, also to America.”
criticism of the late reaction of Tehran
The Iranian government had initially wasted valuable time, to take effective measures for the protection and education of the population. Since Tuesday the shops and markets are closed, officially. Not all owners can adhere to them, out of sheer economic Hardship. Only on Friday (27.3.) take further measures like a travel ban from Tehran, the traffic between the cities is to be set.
Sadegh Zibakalam criticized the delayed response of the government, and in particular against the Background of the travel waves due to the commencement of the Iranian new year holiday a week ago: “I be self-taken seats in quarantine and observed, as in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, China hard rules, in order to bring the spread of the disease under control. Then I see that in Iran, three to four million people go without any restriction on their new year’s travel. The government has been lazy and indifferent reacts and is unable to be responsible for the protection of the population. In addition, the population has no confidence in the government, and the willingness to cooperate with the government, not more is given.”
the government of Rouhani weakened
Zibakalam, the government looks to President Hassan Rouhani in their continuous confrontation with the hard-liners by means of the Corona-crisis weakened: “My prediction for the next future is that we bring between five to eight million people in economic Distress and their existence at risk. We now proceed in the next few weeks, the same step as the other countries. This means a further collapse of an already depressed economy. Therefore, I see no light at the end of the tunnel for the government of Rouhani.”
Also on the foreign policy Front Zibakalam provides no relief. Although there are at the international level, calls to the address of the United States, the sanctions against Iran in the face of the health crisis, to lift. Appeals came from Russia, China, Pakistan and various humanitarian organizations. “Iran is hoping that, given the global pandemic and the devastating social conditions in the country, the sanctions are not implemented in the previous consequence,” says Zibakalam Interview in the DW. But a political change of course and an Opening to the West, the Freedom of Speech prize-winner considers unlikely: “Even an event such as the Corona of a pandemic will not be able to influence the fundamentalist attitude of the Iranian leadership.”
author: Maryam Ansary Where is Coronavirus? Real-time map showing the spread of the disease, FOCUS Online/Wochit Where is Coronavirus? Real-time map showing the spread of the disease
*The post “”First of all ideology, then health”: intransigence of Iran will cost thousands of lives” will be released by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
Deutsche Welle
