Gov’t Resolved to Assist Needy People Hurt by COVID-19: Iran VP

Es’haq Jahangiri said every effort should be made to help citizens who cannot earn a living and make ends meet.

“I’m asking people who know needy individuals [to introduce them],” he said.

“… Over the past few days, a video clip was posted on social media showing an old man saying he couldn’t afford to buy cheese for his children,” said Jahangiri.

He quoted the old man as saying that “‘It’s been two days that my kids have been asking me to buy cheese for them, but I can’t. I’m a street vendor working at the underground station. Police keep telling me to get my stuff and go home. If I go home [without having earned money], what am I supposed to eat?”

Jahangiri said it would be heart-wrenching to see people going hungry.
“People’s hearts are touched when they see someone needs food, but can’t get it,” he said.

The vice president further noted that the government has allocated finances to help the needy.

“We have earmarked funds for some three million people who didn’t have any jobs or who had very small earnings, so that they would receive between two million and six million rials per month, so their lives won’t be harmed. If such people are introduced, the Welfare Ministry will definitely cover them,” he said.

He further asked all fellow countrymen to help the destitute and those who have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

“We also ask benevolent people to rush to the help of such individuals if they run into them, those who have not been spotted by the government, so that they will not be harmed; institutions such as the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and the Rehabilitation Organization should pay serious attention to people who are not receiving the government’s financial support, but who are in need,” he said.