Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said statistics presented by China were a “bitter joke” because many across the world thought the disease caused by COVID-19 was similar to influenza and had a low fatality rate.
“The outbreak did not turn into an epidemic in Japan. We use the word ‘epidemic’ when one percent of the population contracts a disease. Likewise, we cannot say we are facing an epidemic in all parts of Iran. In some parts of the country (Iran) there are individual cases of infection. In most parts of the country the number of infections is surging, and some cities we are at the ‘epidemic’ stage. Even there is no epidemic in South Korea,” the spokesman noted.
However, he noted, the situation was different in China, and Wuhan had experienced an epidemic.
“If they say in China that an epidemic has been contained in two months, one has to think twice about it,” he noted.
Jahanpour, whose remarks had stirred controversy on social media, later tweeted that “scientific issues cannot, and should not, be mixed with politics.”
مباحث علمی رو هیچگاه نه میتوان و نه باید با #سیاست آمیخت،
همه محافل آکادمیک دنیا بر پایه اطلاعات اپیدمیولوژیک و گزارش محققین #چین، حداقل آنفلوآنزای تیپ A را از ویروس نوپدید #کرونا وخیم تر قلمداد کردند، امروز یافته ها خلاف این را نشان میدهد، به یافته های خودی اطمینان بیشتری داریم
“Based on the epidemiological information and reports provided by Chinese researchers, all academic centres in the world considered the novel coronavirus to be less dangerous than at least type-A influenza. Today’s findings prove it wrong. And we trust our own findings more,” said Jahanpour, himself a doctor.
In reaction to the unprecedented criticisms, the Chinese ambassador to Tehran Chang Hua advised Jahanpour to “carefully” follow the Chinese Health Ministry’s daily press conference before making any conclusion.
He also urged the Iranian spokesman to “respect” the facts and “great efforts” of the Chinese nation.
Reacting to the controversy, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said the Islamic Republic has always been grateful to China for all the help the country has been offering to fight the coronavirus.
“The Gvt. & ppl. of #China lead the way in suppressing #coronavirus & generously aiding countries across the globe,” he tweeted.
“The Chinese bravery, dedication & professionalism in COVID19 containment deserve acknowledgment. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been thankful to China in these trying times,” he added in his tweet.
In response, Chang Hua tweeted that rumours cannot harm Tehran-Beijing friendship.
Later, Jahanpour tweeted that aliens should not take advantage of his criticisms of China, as the Iranian nation and government will not forget the Chinese aid and assistance in the wake of the outbreak.
Still outraged by the criticisms, the Chinese ambassador reacted to Jahanpour by saying
“friends must help each other, but we are fighting each other.”
China has so far sent several consignments of medical items to Iran in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Iran’s Ambassador to Beijing Mohammad Keshavarzzadeh recently announced that China has, so far, shipped 28 aid consignments to Iran by air.
“The aid supplies include more than 10 million masks, 500 thousand coronavirus diagnosis kits, 300 thousand surgery and isolation outfits, 2.2 million gloves, 350 ventilators, 500 prefabricated hospital rooms and different kinds of hospital equipment,” the ambassador said.
The Tulip festival was to be held in the flower garden of Shahid Chamran Park, Karaj, Alborz province.
Like every year, the largest flower carpet of Middle East with an area of 2,700 m2 has been decorated in the garden. 300,000 tulip bulbs in more than 40 varieties and colours stand out in the garden, beside 20 other types of flowers and seasonal plants such as violets and daffodils.
What follows are ISNA’s photos of the Tulip Festival underway in Karaj:
Transportation Deputy of Iran’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Organisation said in order to compensate for losses the drivers suffered, the government is to provide appropriate support packages.
Mehran Qorbani added that the drivers can use the unemployment insurance for the months of March, April and May this year while support packages of one to two million Tomans [60 to 120 USD] have been considered in this regard.
Since the beginning of March, several protocols have been issued by the health ministry, including the observance of health issues at terminals, inside buses, and by bus drivers. The strict implementation of these principles has been followed up by Road Maintenance and Transportation Organisation.
Mohammad Eslami said on Sunday that the companies usually recompense their annual expenses during the Nowruz because these holidays provide financial resources to companies so that they could fully cover their annual expenses.
In the rail sector, we saw a 94% decrease in travel, and in the aviation sector, we saw a 70% decrease. At the same time, various jobs were identified by the government, and it was announced that unnecessary jobs be closed until the end of the crisis, reiterated Eslami.
“We hope that the money of travellers whose trips have been cancelled will be returned to them soon and in the coming days,” added Eslami in a radio program interview.
Referring to the President’s order to assess the condition of passenger terminals and airports, the roads minister said screening is carried out at the entrances and exits of passenger and cargo terminals.
The Minister of Roads and Urban Development emphasised the screening was implemented from the very first days of the outbreak of the Corona disease in passenger terminals, freight terminals, airports and other subdivisions of the ministry.
Currently, disinfection of equipment, control and screening of passengers and crew are among the most important tasks performed properly, he underlined.
The film is to be released online in the coming days on Filimo and Namava VOD platforms.
Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and the long-term presence of people at homes in the past few weeks and in the future, the film’s producer – Owj Arts and Media Organisation – has decided to screen the movie online.
The decision was also approved by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the country’s legal authorities.
Ebrahim Hatamikia’s latest work will be available on VODs as of next week, and the audience can watch the film on Filimo and Namava after subscription.
This is the first time a big-budget movie is premiering online in Iran.
The film narrates the living problems of farmers and depicts the special economic conditions of the deprived people of the country. It is the story of two men who start their journey from Dezful to Tehran, who are on the road for two and a half months and face many challenges.
Faramarz Qaribian, Pante’a Panahiha, Jahangir Almasi, Giti Qassemi, Mohammad Reza Sharifinia, Mahdi Faghih, Sam Qaribian, Mohammad Fili, Atash Taqipour, Akbar Rahmati, Farzad Hassani, Ramin Pour-Iman and Mohsen Sadeqi Nasab are the cast of this film.
In comments on the sidelines of a Sunday visit to an exhibition of high-tech products for the fight against the novel coronavirus, President Rouhani said his administration has been making efforts to strengthen and promote the knowledge-based companies over the past couple of years.
The plans to strengthen the infrastructures of domestic knowledge-based companies have boosted businesses, promoted technologies and elevated the country’s position in scientific rankings, the president added.
He also noted that development of the knowledge-based companies has made Iran self-sufficient in the production of many goods which were being imported in the past.
The domestic production of commodities by the knowledge-based businesses has reduced the expenditure on imports and has created a large market for the Iranian products, he added.
The president also said investment in strengthening the infrastructures in the health system has now helped the country at the time of crisis, noting that advanced medical equipment are currently at the disposal of the medical society for the battle with COVID-19.
While the outbreak of coronavirus has forced people to stay home and has restricted the travels, the robust infrastructures in the cyber sector and electronic services have helped the country resume its activities via the virtual space, the president noted.
He finally stated that the achievements of the local industries displayed in the exhibition signify the ability to manufacture the necessary equipment for the treatment of coronavirus and carry out rapid laboratory tests to detect the virus.
The Shah Cheragh Shrine houses the tombs of the brothers Ahmad and Muhammad, sons of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (AS) and brothers of Imam Reza (AS).
The holy shrine has remained closed since the beginning of nationwide lockdown policies aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus.
Despite earlier controversies sparked by a group of fanatics who insisted on visiting the holy shrines of Qom and Mashhad and showed unacceptable and dangerous behaviours there, the following photos released by Fars News Agency show the benevolentwomen believers sewing masks for their compatriots in the wake of the pandemic in Shah Cheragh Shrine:
It contains 3,500 volumes of books along with a collection of fabulous antiquities.
The Dar-ul-Khalafeh book café is one of the most interesting and attractive ones in Tehran whose numbers has been growing in recent years. The Dar-ul-Khalafeh building used to be the home of Mahin-ul-Molk Vazinani, the brother-in-law of Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar, the fifth Qajar king of Persia. In the 1950s or 60s, its owner donates the building to be turned into a clinic.
The house measures 260 square metres and boasts the ancient Persian-style interior design as well as architecture dating back to the Pahlavi era.
Its yard was dramatically refurbished during the time the house was under restoration work. As a case in point, a pond buried under soil was dug out and restored. Moreover, the yard and rooms used to be covered in tiles, which were replaced by tile bricks during renovation work.
The antique items at the building are, in fact, its owner’s personal collection. The owner had begun collecting the items when he was just 14 years old.
There are as many as 3,500 volumes of books, magazines and offset-printed newspapers. Visitors can borrow the books for free and read them in the yard or in one of the five rooms at the building while sipping at their drinks.
Dar-ul-Khalafeh has been restored today at the owner’s cost without any contribution from any authority or government institution. The building has now turned into a cultural place.
What follows are Tehran Picture Agency’s photos of the café:
1 of 11
Century-Old Café in Tehran, Popular Hangout for Book Readers
In a joint statement on Saturday, Hashd al-Sha’abi groups said from now on the US troops in the Arab country will be dealt with as “occupation forces”.
The statement cited the US refusal to withdraw its forces from Iraq and its “continued aggression” against the country as the reasons for their decision.
“You have proven to everyone that you are occupation forces and that you only respect the language of force; on these bases you will be dealt with as occupiers,” the statement reads.
It also said that the Iraqi resistance forces’ military operations are a basic response to the US aggression.
“Be aware that all operations which have been carried out against you so far were only a minor response to your aggressions as the decision to carry out operations [against US forces] had not been taken back then,” it added.
They stressed that the recent US threats to target the resistance forces are aimed at covering up their own failures.
The statement was signed by Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, Harakat al-Awfiy’a, Saraya Ashura, Harakat Jund al-Imam, and Saraya al-Khurasani.
In late March, the other PMU group Kata’ib Hezbollah blew the lid off a plot by the US military to carry out massive aerial operations — backed by ground troops – against bases of the elite anti-terror force, which is currently busy helping the government in the fight against a new coronavirus pandemic.
The PMU statement was concluded with a message to the Iraqi people, in which the resistance groups vowed that they will not let the US occupy the country and rob its resources.
The statement comes in line with earlier calls by the Iraqi Parliament and military for all foreign troops to leave the Arab country as soon as possible.
Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill on January 5, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign military forces led by the United States from the country following the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the PMU, and their companions in a US airstrike authorized by President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport two days earlier.
Since then, the US-led coalition has handed over to the Iraqi army a number of bases it had occupied in the Arab country. However, it has also deployed further military equipment, including C-RAM systems and Patriot missile defense systems, to protect its remaining forces in the country.
In their Saturday statement, the PMU also declared their opposition to the designation of Adnan al-Zurfi as Iraq’s prime minister, saying that Zurfi is a corrupt politician, a CIA puppet, and a threat to Iraq’s domestic peace and security.
Iraqi President Barham Salih appointed Zurfi as the new prime minister in mid-March.
The house measures 260 square metres and boasts the ancient Persian-style interior design as well as architecture dating back to the Pahlavi era.
