{"id":18979,"date":"2020-03-28T10:53:27","date_gmt":"2020-03-28T15:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/?p=18979"},"modified":"2020-03-28T10:53:27","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T15:53:27","slug":"editorial-coronavirus-irans-regime-takes-people-hostage-to-force-an-end-to-sanctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/18979\/","title":{"rendered":"EDITORIAL: Coronavirus: Iran\u2019s Regime Takes People Hostage to Force an End to Sanctions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Since the coronavirus outbreak, the Iranian regime\u2019s cover-up, lying and inaction\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">has<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0caused the disease to spread rapidly throughout Iran, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/ncri-statements\/statement-human-rights\/iran-coronavirus-death-toll-reaches-11500-in-222-cities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more than\u00a0<\/a><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">11,000<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Iranians to this day have lost their lives because of the virus.\u00a0 Despite\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">having\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">huge<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0financial and logistical resources, the Iranian regime does not take any serious measures\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">to help Iranians diagnosed with the coronavirus.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span id=\"more-214832\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As more Iranians die\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">on\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">daily basis<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, the mullahs\u2019 regime has taken Iranian people hostage in pursuit of its policies, specifically\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">an<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">end<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">or suspen<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sion to<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sanctions, rather than taking any action to help the people. The regime\u2019s lobby in the west,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">supporters\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">appeasement policy and those who look to the Iranian market for their commercial interests are shedding crocodile tears\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">in an orchestrated act for\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the Iranian people in order to conceal their primary goal of helping the regime survive<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">These people are getting their talking points from the regime. They claim, \u201cIf we do not help Iran, Iran will become the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">epi<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">center of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">coronavirus\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">outbreak and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">this is\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">catastrophe for the whole world.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">is a great deception to help\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">regime<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0that has been killing the Iranian people\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and today is the main cause of the spread of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">coronavirus<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Let\u2019s review the facts<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0The regime deliberately acknowledged\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0existence of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">coronavirus<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0in Iran\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">with\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a three-week delay in order to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hold its sham parliamentary elections and its\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">events to mark the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">anniversary of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">its\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rise to power.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The regime refused to quarantine the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/coronavirus-outbreak-in-iran-satellite-images-confirm-excavation-of-mass-graveyards-in-qom-despite-regimes-denial-of-death-toll-which-has-reached-3650\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">city of Qom<\/a>, which was the center of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">corona<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">virus outbreak in Iran\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">because of its<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0political and reactionary<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0interests.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/terrorism-fundamentalism\/26779-iran-s-regime-is-the-world-s-foremost-threat-to-peace-and-security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">irlines continued<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0their flights<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0for one month\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">even after they were informed of the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0existence of COVID-19 in China.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">regime\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Minister of Health acknowledged tens of millions of masks\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">have been hoarded<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a party<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0(the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0IRGC<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">)\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">were sold at exorbitant prices.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At the height of the spread of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">coronavirus<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0in Iran,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ali Shamkhani,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the Secretary of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">regime\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Supreme<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0National<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Security\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Council\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2018<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">donated<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2019<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">50,000\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">mask<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">s<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0to the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In January,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">despite claiming i<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">t has financial difficulties because of the sanction<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">s<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, the regime\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">paid $200\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">m<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">illion dollars\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">to the IRGC\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/terrorism-fundamentalism\/26763-quds-force-s-arm-in-iraq-holy-shrines-reconstruction-headquarters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Quds Force<\/a>\u00a0for its operations abroad.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The capit<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">l of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Execution of Imam Khomeini\u2019s Order<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(EIKO)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, according to a Reuters investigative report, is worth $<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">95<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0billion and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the regime\u2019s supreme leader, Ali\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Khamenei\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">office, according to the U.S. state department has a capital of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">$<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">200<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0million, but the regime is unwilling to spend it<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0for people.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There are more than a dozen other Khamenei-controlled entities in Iran that have hundreds of millions of dollars in capital.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The regime reject<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ed<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">US aid<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0offer<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"34\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The regime prevented Doctors\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">W<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ithout Borders\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">from\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">construct<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ing<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0a hospital in Iran<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and the regime\u2019s president Hassan Rouhani declared<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0that \u201cour hospitals are\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">empty,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and we don\u2019t have any sort\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">shortages.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The United States has officially announced\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sending\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">medical equipment and medications to Iran are not\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">affected<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0sanctions.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And the list goes on. What the regime has said publicly is that we do not want help<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, we\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">want\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the sanctions to be lifted<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">regime plays a filthy game with the lives of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Iran\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">people<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Khamenei, at the beginning of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">new Persian\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">year, declared the most important event of the past year,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">was not the coronavirus\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">or\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">its casualties, but the death of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Qassem<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Soleimani<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, head of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/terrorism-fundamentalism\/26763-quds-force-s-arm-in-iraq-holy-shrines-reconstruction-headquarters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Quds Force<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Apparently<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the infection and death of thousands of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Iranians<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">by the coronavirus,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the homelessness of thousands of them because of the earthquakes and floods and the brutal killing of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">1500 people during the anti-government Iran protests in November weren\u2019t the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cpeak of the incidents\u201d in Iran. Yet,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">life of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">one of the world\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">most notorious\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">criminals\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">within<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0past\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">five decades is\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a priority over the lives and resources of millions of Iranians.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Khamenei\u2019s response to the US offer of assistance indicated that\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">for him, the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">political considerations were preferable to the lives of the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">people.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0He\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">said<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0there is no trust\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">towards\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the A<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">mericans\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Your drugs may even spread the disease further or\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">make\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the virus<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0permanent<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(Khamenei\u2019s remarks, the state-run Fars News agency, March 22, 2020.)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">T<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">he United States has repeatedly stated that sanctions have nothing to do with food and medicine<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Special Representative\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Brian Hook announced on March 22 that<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, \u201c<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">US sanctions are not preventing aid from getting to Iran<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Yet, Khamenei, uses the corona<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">virus\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">outbreak to play with the lives of the Iranian people, and<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">he\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">further\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">talks\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">of<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">melancholy claim that \u201c<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0you send a physician, you may want to closely test the toxic effects of the virus you have created. Because it\u2019s said that given the knowledge about Iranian genes, part of the virus has been specially created for Iran<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Therefore,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0your word is not acceptable.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:3,&quot;335551620&quot;:3,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As Mrs.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/maryam-rajavi\/14237-maryam-rajavi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Maryam\u00a0<\/a><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rajavi<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, the president-elect of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/our-resistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)<\/a><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0said:\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Expelling Doctors Without Borders, who had come to Isfahan with prior agreement and coordination demonstrates that the mullahs intend to continue their criminal cover-up, especially about the number of fatalities. This shows that the main problem in Iran is the corrupt dictatorship that does not think about anything but how to preserve its grip on power and that human lives are worthless. The regime wants to receive aid without any supervision so that it can put it at the disposal of the IRGC and regime officials.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"SandboxRoot env-bp-350\" data-twitter-event-id=\"0\">\n<div id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"EmbeddedTweet EmbeddedTweet--cta js-clickToOpenTarget\" lang=\"en-gb\" data-click-to-open-target=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Maryam_Rajavi\/status\/1242489308134567947\" data-iframe-title=\"Twitter Tweet\" data-scribe=\"page:tweet\" data-twitter-event-id=\"2\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-ancestor EmbeddedTweet-ancestor--repliesRefresh\" data-scribe=\"section:conversation\">\n<blockquote class=\"Tweet Tweet--compact h-entry reply js-tweetIdInfo\" cite=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Maryam_Rajavi\/status\/1242489306394091520\" data-tweet-id=\"1242489306394091520\">\n<div class=\"Tweet-ancestorContainer Tweet-ancestorContainer--repliesRefresh\">\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The regime and its supreme leader, Khamenei, are setting a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">record<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0of cruelty and brutality amid the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">coronavirus outbreak in Iran, the victims of which are the Iranian people<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The coronavirus and the suffering of the Iranian people are\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the means<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by which the regime seeks to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">have\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sanctions<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0lifted<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0so that it can carry out its terrorist intentions<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Since the coronavirus outbreak, the Iranian regime\u2019s cover-up, lying and inaction\u00a0has\u00a0caused the disease to spread rapidly throughout Iran, and\u00a0more than\u00a011,000\u00a0Iranians to this day have lost <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/18979\/\" title=\"EDITORIAL: Coronavirus: Iran\u2019s Regime Takes People Hostage to Force an End to Sanctions\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":18980,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[558,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-editorial","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18979"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18981,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18979\/revisions\/18981"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}