Iran Offers Coronavirus Help to 9 Countries Including Qatar

The chief of staff of the armed forces of Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri sent separate telegrams to his counterparts and defense ministers in nine countries, including six Arab states, proposing an exchange of experiences in fighting the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, according to Russia Today.

On Saturday, Tehran reported that Bagheri sent separate cables to Iraq, the Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where he referred to "the successes of the Islamic Republic of Iran in confronting the novel coronavirus."

Bagheri pointed out that “The Iranian armed forces have played a wide role in the operations to combat and confront this dangerous virus."

"We are ready to exchange and transfer the experiences gained to officials of friendly and brotherly countries."

The Chief of the General Staff  also stressed that "failure to properly and scientifically confront this disease could lead to an acceleration of its spread and endanger the health of peoples."

"The successful performance of the Islamic Republic of Iran in controlling this virus can pave the way in this area for other Islamic peoples and friendly and brotherly countries,” he added. 

Iran was considered one of the largest hotbeds of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the world, but official data issued during the past weeks indicated a significant decline in the disease in the country, where the daily average of new infections is currently about 1000 cases.

Since April 11, Iran has started gradual steps toward lifting general health quarantine measures, restrictions on movement of people, and closing economic activities. Iran is currently the ninth country in the world in terms of the number of people infected with the virus with 96,448 cases, and the ninth in terms of the death toll from the disease by 6,156 cases.

More than 75,100 of those infected had already been released from hospital after recovering. Of those still being treated for the disease, 2,976 were in critical condition.