Rouhani says US sanctions are not impeding fight against coronavirus
BERLIN—The Islamic Republic of Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, issued a series of jaw-dropping comments at an economic cabinet meeting on Thursday, stating that US sanctions have not stopped Tehran from combating the coronavirus crisis.
Rouhani’s remarks contradict the narrative that his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has delivered to Western audiences in the hope of securing sanctions relief.
Radio Farda termed Zarif’s efforts on Thursday a “weeks-long propaganda campaign in the press and social media targeting the United States and Europe about the adverse impact of the sanctions on Iran’s ability to confront the outbreak.”
However, Rouhani said “Iran has no problem in providing foreign currency until the end of the [Iranian] year,” in March 2021.
The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Rouhani also said “we will have no problem” with regard to medical and pharmaceutical demands.
According to IRNA, Rouhani said on the topic of health care that ”most of the requirements are being supplied domestically.”
Read More: Jerusalem Post