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Iran Leader’s Top Aide Velayati Infected with Coronavirus: Report

Iran Leader's Top Aide Velayati Infected with Coronavirus: Report

“On Wednesday noon, Mr Velayati was tested for the novel coronavirus after showing minor symptoms,” Tasnim reported on Thursday.

“The test clearly showed that Mr Velayati is infected with the virus,” the report added.

“At the doctors’ prescription, Mr Velayati has been put in quarantine, and is feeling well now, recovering from the disease,” it added.

Velayati, who also is the head of Tehran’s Masih Daneshvari hospital – a referral centre for Coronavirus – had contacts with many coronavirus patients in the past few weeks.

Iran Leader Orders Formation of Military Medical Base to Contain Coronavirus

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

In a letter to Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri on Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei thanked the Armed Forces for the services they have provided for Iranian people so far in tackling the coronavirus.

Stressing the need to continue and promote those efforts, the Leader ordered that the activities of the Armed Forces be organized within a “health and medical base”.

Ayatollah Khamenei also assigned the Armed Forces to work on the necessary methods to prevent a further spread of coronavirus, in addition to the other activities such as treatment of patients and establishment of medical centers like field hospitals and convalescent homes.

The Leader explained that the new base will be tasked with defining the duties and missions of various organizations and units of the Armed Forces, stressing that the medical base must work in full coordination with the administration and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

“Considering the clues that have raised the possibility of this incident being a ‘biological attack’, this measure (establishment of the medical base) could amount to a biological defense war game and boost the national might and capabilities,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in the order.

The Leader finally expressed hope that the Almighty God’s support would steer the Iranian nation to everlasting victory, security and health.

President Appoints Caretaker for IRCS

President Appoints Caretaker for IRCS

In a decree on Thursday, President Rouhani assigned Karim Hemmati to the post of caretaker president of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran given his educational degrees, expertise, and executive experiences.

The president also pointed to the country’s current circumstance after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, saying the IRCS is expected to mobilize all efforts to work in coordination with the Coronavirus Management National Headquarters to serve the people and strongly battle with COVID-19.

The appointment came over three months after the former head of the IRCS, Ali-Asghar Peyvandi, resigned from his position.

Iran’s Health Ministry announced on Thursday that the total number of coronavirus infections in the country has risen to 10,075, out of whom 429 have died and 3,276 have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.

US Bans Major Obstacle to Iran’s Battle with COVID-19, Zarif Tells UN Chief

US Claim That Iran Sanctions Reinstated 'Baseless': FM Zarif

Foreign Minister Zarif sent a letter to Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, and forwarded the copies of the letter to directors of all international organizations and to his foreign counterparts across the world.

In the letter, the top Iranian diplomat has called for an end to the sanctions imposed by the government of the United States, which he slammed as a major obstacle to Iran’s battle with the coronavirus outbreak.

Foreign Minister Zarif has emphasized in the letter that despite Iran’s scientific capabilities and the commitment that the country’s health system has shown to the fight against the coronavirus outbreak, the US’ sanctions on legal trade and the preconditions that the United States’ authorities have set recently in order to prevent the sale of medicine, medical equipment and humanitarian supplies have posed serious obstacles to the efforts to battle against the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran.

The Foreign Minister further cited examples of the US’ measures against Iran, pointing to the effect of the secondary sanctions on Iran’s oil sales as well as the private sector’s exports of other products and a consequent reduction in the ability of the government to provide subsidy for the basic commodities consumed by the Iranian citizens, the private sector’s reduced capacity for production and employment, the multilayered nature of sanctions on the financial sectors, transportation, insurance and banks for preventing the sale of medicine and medical equipment to Iran, the refusal to supply the Iranian airlines with the components, tools and navigation software with the purpose of grounding Iran’s aviation sector, and the recent measure from the American companies to obstruct the use of information technology in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Foreign Minister Zarif noted that those anti-Iran measures are somehow rooted in the international community’s inaction in the face of the illegal measures of the government of the United States.

He has finally stressed the necessity for an immediate end to the US government’s economic terrorism against people of Iran, and has highlighted the duty of the United Nations and the Member States to support the Iranian people and government’s call for an end to the US government’s policy.

Foreign Minister Zarif has asked the UN Secretary-General to have the text of the letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly and the Security Council.

 

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Iran President Earmarks Government Handouts for the Unemployed

Iran President Earmarks Government Handouts for the Unemployed

In a post on his Twitter account on Thursday, Minister of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare Mohammad Shariatmadari said one of the administration’s main priorities is to support the low-income groups which have no stable income.

According to an important order issued by President Hassan Rouhani and in coordination with the Planning and Budget Organization, the whole citizens who do not have a certain job with a stable income will be entitled to receive a “support package” in the month of Esfand, the minister noted, referring to the current Iranian month that will end on March 19.

Shariatmadari said the eligible individuals are going to be identified by the databank of Iranians or will have to sign up.

On Wednesday, First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri issued an order to provide special support for the female-householder families and mitigate the harmful effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak on them.

The vice president emphasized that it is necessary to help the female breadwinners and mitigate the economic and social harms on them ahead of the new Iranian year, considering that the outbreak of COVID-19 has had adverse effects on small businesses.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12

Iranian Newspapers

Iranian Newspapers

Abrar Newspaper:

1- UN HQ in New York Closed for COVID-19
2- Erdogan Is to Blame for Syria Crisis: Kılıçdaroğlu
3- Coronavirus Now in Turkey
4- CENTCOM Chief: We’ll Deploy Missile Defence System in Iraq to Protect Ourselves against Iran

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Arman-e Melli Newspaper:

1- Rouhani: Rumours Should Not Break People’s Unity
2- High Rate of Coronavirus Infection among Angels in White (Nurses, Doctors)

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Aftab-e Yazd Newspaper:

1- President Rouhani’s Difficult Mission
* Rouhani Takes Over Presidency of Corona Fight Headquarters
2- Abdullah and Ghani against Each Other
* Ghani Is No Longer President of Afghanistan; His Orders Not Valid

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Ebtekar Newspaper:

1- We Shouldn’t Overestimate Coronavirus: Rouhani
2- Iran’s Condition for Full Return to Nuclear Commitments
3- We Can’t Say for Sure Coronavirus Is Bio-Weapon: Security Official

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Etemad Newspaper:

1- Putin Forever?

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Ettela’at Newspaper:

1- Rouhani: Overcoming Epidemic Needs People’s Full Cooperation
2- Iraq’s Shiite Political Leaders Agree to Keep Abdul-Mahdi as PM

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Kayhan Newspaper:

1- Abdul-Mahdi May Return to Premiership
2- Europe’s New Statement on JCPOA an Effort to Demand Ransom
3- Afghanistan; Power Struggle and People’s Concerns

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Mardom Salari Newspaper:

1- Iraq Waiting for Its New Prime Minister
* Rumours Say Abdul Mahdi May Be Re-Elected
2- Iran Will Declare Final Step If JCPOA Efforts Don’t Work

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Sazandegi Newspaper:

1- Iran’s Electoral System Must Become Party-Based: Guardian Council Spokesman
2- US Workers Turn Their Back on Socialism: Biden Wins Vote of Rural, Black People

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12


 

Shargh Newspaper:

1- Mahan Air Says Flights to China Made after Repeated Requests from Ministers

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on March 12

Iran Confirms 1,075 New Cases of Coronavirus

Iran Confirms 1,075 New Cases of Coronavirus

The new cases increase the total number of coronavirus infections to 10,075, out of whom 429 have died and 3,276 have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Thursday.

The 10,075 cases include 2,673 in Tehran, 997 in Mazandaran, 846 in Qom, 792 in Isfahan, 613 in Gilan, 535 in Markazi, 458 in Alborz, 326 in Qazvin, 324 in Semnan, 213 in Golestan, 285 in Khorasan Razavi, 210 in Lorestan, 199 in Fars, 171 in Yazd, 182 in East Azarbaijan, 158 in Khuzestan, 118 in Zanjan, 119 in West Azarbaijan, 106 in Ardabil, 96 in Hamadan, 93 in Kurdistan, 79 in Kermanshah, 79 in Hormozgan, 78 in South Khorasan, 69 in Ilam, 65 in Kerman, 50 in Sistan and Baluchestan, 49 in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, 45 in North Khorasan, 26 in Kohgiliyeh and Buyer-Ahmad, and 21 in Bushehr.

Coronavirus Cancels Nowruz Events, Shuts Down Museums across Iran

Coronavirus Cancels Nowruz Events, Shuts Down Museums across Iran
Iranian people celebrating Nowruz at the Pasargadae World Heritage site in Fars province

Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Ali-Asghar Mounesan sent letters to the director generals of the Ministry’s offices in all 31 provinces in the country, ordering them to cancel the Nowruz festivals and shut down the museums during the new year’s holidays.

The new Iranian year 1399 will begin on March 20 and the holidays last for some two weeks.

“The museums, castle museums, and the cultural-historic sites should be closed during the official holidays of Nowruz,” the minister said in the letter.

Mounesan has also ordered that the working hours of the museums, castle museums, and the cultural-historic places be restricted to the minimum legal hours before Nowruz until a further decision is made by the administration and the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters.

The minister has also announced that the decision to cancel the Nowruz festivals is part of the precautionary and preventive measures to contain the contagious disease.

Apart from the cancellation of all Nowruz events, arrangements must be made to prevent any gathering of people at the tourism and cultural sites and resorts, the minister concluded.

Iran’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday that the number of coronavirus infections has risen to 9,000, out of whom 354 have died and 2,959 have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.

US Held Culpable for Non-Implementation of Chemical Disarmament: Iran

US Held Culpable for Non-Implementation of Chemical Disarmament: Iran

Iran’s envoy to OPCW Alireza Kazemi Abadi delivered a speech to the 93rd Session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on Wednesday, March 11.

In his address, Kazemi Abadi pointed to the unilateral sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying the inhumane sanctions on medicine and treatment have adversely affected the victims of chemical weapons in Iran and have practically hindered the process of treatment of the people injured in the chemical attacks.

The Iranian representative also touched on the initiative announced by the OPCW Director-General, calling on the Member States to participate in the efforts to remove the obstacles to the access to medicine and treatment.

Kazemi Abadi also emphasized that destruction of chemical weapons and universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention are requisites for the inclusive implementation of chemical disarmament, stressing that the US, as the only holder of chemical weapons, has prevented the materialization of goals of the Convention because of the failure to employ its facilities to destroy the arsenals of chemical weapons. He also urged the US to fulfill its commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention by destroying its chemical weapons.

The Iranian representative also expressed delight at Syria’s cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and called for the continuation of the cooperation until the elimination of chemical terrorism.

Kazemi Abadi further highlighted the need for the Executive Council of the OPCW to make decisions by consensus, and slammed as politically-motivated and unacceptable the proposal from a number of Western countries to ban and restrict the use of some chemical substances that are not banned under the Convention or to make changes in the modus operandi of the Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial Matters (ABAF) of the OPCW.

The Ninety-Third Session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons kicked off at the OPCW headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Tuesday, March 10, and will go on until Friday, March 13.

The OPCW has 193 Member States. In its regular sessions, the Executive Council discusses the latest international developments and policies against the use of chemical weapons. The permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the vice-chairs of the Executive Council of the OPCW.