Iran rejects US help offer, steps up measures to fight COVID-19

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday rejected the U.S. help offer to the country over the COVID-19 outbreak.

کد خبر: ۹۶۷۵۷۰

تاریخ: ۰۴ فروردين ۱۳۹۹ - ۱۱:۲۲

Ayatollah Khamenei said the U.S. officials have continuously sent messages to Iran about their offer to fight the pandemic, but Iran did not accept it since Iran "does not trust" them.

"That is strange, because the Americans have themselves faced shortages inside their country" to deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak, Supream Leader said in a televised speech.

Iran is one of the hardest-hit countries by the novel coronavirus epidemic, with the total number of confirmed cases rising to 21,638, of whom 1,685 have died.

In line with the earlier attempts to tackle the challenges of COVID-19 spread, the Iranian authorities on Sunday ordered the closure of commercial centers in the capital Tehran.

Hamidreza Goudarzi, deputy governor of Tehran province, said that only convenience stores and pharmacies are allowed to stay open in Tehran and any business that disregards the new order will be punished, state TV reported.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, head of Iran's Food and Drug Administration, said pharmacies across the country are replenished with protective masks, hand sanitizers and other hygiene products, promising no shortage in such supplies.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Hossein Baqeri said on Sunday that most of Iran's military hospitals across the country have begun to receive novel coronavirus patients, Tasnim news agency reported.

Out of 58 hospitals of the Iranian armed forces, 52 are now treating the novel coronavirus patients, Baqeri was quoted as saying by the agency.

The armed forces had made necessary arrangements before the outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran and geared up for the epidemic, he said.

Since the early hours of outbreak of the disease in the city of Qom on Feb. 19, the military hospitals have been aiding the health ministry in the battle against the disease, Baqeri added.

According to Press TV report on Sunday, Iran Mall, Iranian biggest shopping center, will be used as a temporary hospital for the patients of COVID-19.

Iran Mall, located in the west of the capital Tehran, will be able to provide 3,000 beds for the patients.

The hospitalization area of 45,000 square meters was originally the exhibition center of the mall.