‘Worst cruelty in history’: Iran’s health minister berates US for blocking access to much-needed medicine amid Covid outbreak

The Iranian health minister has blasted Washington for preventing Tehran from purchasing vital drugs and medical equipment, saying the US is depriving the “weakest and most needy people.”

Speaking on Tuesday, Minister Saeed Namaki said that sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration were unmatched in their cruelty, depriving Iranians of medicines in the middle of a pandemic. 

The US has committed the worst cruelty in history against the Iranian nation during the coronavirus outbreak despite the claim that medicine is not on the list of sanctions.

Namaki, who was addressing a ceremony to inaugurate medical projects, rubbished US claims that medical supplies were exempt from the sanctions, labeling Trump’s administration as “one of the most vicious and cowardly governments in the world.” 

The minister added that these sanctions are depriving Iran’s “weakest and most needy.” 

In spite of the medical challenges being faced, Namaki announced that the country will inaugurate 10,000 hospital beds by March 20, the end of the Iranian year.  

Last week, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani hit out at the US for blocking Tehran’s efforts to secure a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to fight the coronavirus outbreak. 

“We demanded the IMF for $5 billion to assist us during the coronavirus outbreak for vaccines and medicine; all parties have voiced their agreement, but the US does not allow us to take the loan. They have distanced themselves from humanity to such an extent,” Rouhani said. 

Despite the sanctions, Iran has also embarked on indigenous projects to tackle Covid-19. The country has a number of vaccines in development, with one already granted permission for human trials.

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