Beijing
China on Thursday urged the relevant parties of the international community to lift sanctions on Iran to help its government and people’s fight against novel coronavirus epidemic.
“I want to emphasize that at the critical moment of the Iranian government and people’s fight against the epidemic, the continued imposition of unilateral sanctions on Iran is tantamount to worsening, which is contrary to the spirit of humanitarianism,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during his regular briefing.
He said that China paid close attention to the current epidemic situation of Iran’s new corona pneumonia.
In the previous stage, China had provided Iran with anti-epidemic materials such as test kits, and sent a team of volunteer experts to help the country fight the epidemic, he said.
“We will continue to provide support to the best of our ability and also call on all parties in the international community to strengthen epidemic prevention cooperation with Iran to jointly safeguard world public health security,” he added.
To a question regarding the latest situation of Chinese experts to carry out epidemic prevention and control work in Iran, he said that on February 29, a volunteer team of the Chinese Red Cross arrived in Iran.
“In the past few days, a team of volunteer experts has been working intensively, introducing relevant anti-epidemic experience to Iran, and conducting in-depth exchanges and discussions with the Iranian Ministry of Health, the Red Crescent Society and other departments on epidemic prevention and control,” he added.
He said that Iran was grateful to China for sending a team of experts to Iran and added, the volunteer team of experts also actively cooperated with the World Health Organization (WHO) expert group.
Zhao Lijian said that the WHO highly appreciated that it would maintain close communication with the Chinese expert team and combine China’s experience in epidemic prevention to implement a suitable anti-epidemic program in Iran.
He maintained that China and Iran were comprehensive strategic partners, adding, both the countries always supported and helped each other and stood firm together when times were difficult for each other.
“In the next step, China will continue to provide Iran with assistance to the best of its ability and we will work with the international community, including Iran, to strengthen cooperation and share experience, and make due contributions to the global public health cause,” he added.
According to the Iranian health authorities, all schools, universities and educational institutions would remain closed until March 20 as the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 3,513 in the country with 92 deaths.—APP
