Iran’s Leader Says West Failed to Manage Coronavirus Crisis

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made the comment via videoconference at a meeting of the National Coronavirus Headquarters in Tehran on Sunday.

“The West and West-leaning entities wouldn’t like their failure [to counter the coronavirus pandemic] to be seen, but it is necessary to study and explain the different dimensions of this failure,” said the leader, adding nations should be given awareness about this failure.

He said one of the areas where the West has failed to tackle the outbreak is its inability to manage the crisis.

“Coronavirus began to spread in the United States and in Europe later than in other countries, which means they had the chance to prepare themselves to counter the virus,” said the Leader.

“However, they failed to as they should, and this failure is proven by the high number of deaths and infections in the US and some European countries as well as the different problems people in those countries are facing such as unemployment,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

He said another area where the West has failed when it comes to the coronavirus crisis is the “West’s social philosophy.”

“The spirit and content of social philosophy in the West is based on material things and money, and that is why they disregarded the elderly, sick people, the needy and the disabled in the coronavirus issue,” said the Leader.

Still another area where the West failed in the coronavirus crisis was the domain of “public morality.”

Ayatollah Khamenei touched upon people storming shops as well as some other challenges, saying, “Despite all their claims, the Westerners have failed in this domain, too, and these realities should be explained to the public,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei thanked efforts by the government and people to tackle the pandemic.

“I thank officials and those involved in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak for their round-the-clock efforts,” he noted.

He also offered prayers to the souls of those who lost their lives to the disease and wished a rapid recovery for those infected.

Ayatollah Khamenei also lauded efforts to produce the medical equipment required to fight the disease.

The Leader also expressed hope that research centres and knowledge-based companies would soon develop a vaccine and medicine for the virus.

He also praised the National Coronavirus Headquarters and the health ministry for their good planning to counter the pandemic.