Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, April 29, 2021—The mutated strain of the novel coronavirus has swept across Iran. And now, there is talk of the Indian mutated coronavirus, which is far more dangerous than previous types, having entered the country.
Covid-19 is so widespread that the country’s hospitals and doctors warn that the situation is very dangerous and that the country’s health system and hospitals do not have the capacity to receive more patients.
“Today, we are facing another danger, and that is the Indian virus, which is worse than the British, the Brazilian, and the South African strains. If the virus enters the country one more time, we will have a big problem,” said regime president Hassan Rouhani on April 24.
Ironically, Rouhani had downplayed the Covid-19 outbreak and claimed that the situation was not so bad. But on April 24, he admitted: “The statistics are worrying. We will not get rid of this peak easily.”
To shrug off his responsibility, Rouhani blamed the people for the situation and threatened to crack down on them: “State Security Forces and law enforcement will tighten control in offices.”
This means that in addition to its current repressive policies, the regime will continue to ratchet up repression under the pretext of controlling the Covid-19 outbreak.
It is worth noting that this situation has reached this point due to the government’s policy of letting the virus spread among the population as a barrier against protests.
Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei issued a ban on the purchase of a WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccines earlier this year. And the Rouhani government pursued a policy of importing very few vaccines from China, Russia, and India, which has caused the current disastrous situation.
In this situation, the number of patients and deaths is increasing by the day.
Regarding the spread of the Covid-19 and the increase in the death toll in Tehran, the state-run daily Setareh Sobh quoted the director of Khomeini Hospital on of April 26 as saying: “If a Covid-19 patients came to the hospital a few months ago, we would have easily treated them… Right now, because of the high number of cases and the shortage of beds, the same patient will die. We expect a growth in the number of Covid-19 deaths in the next few days. We’re seeing a growing number of deaths across all the country’s provinces.”
Regarding the increasing number of patients and the limitation of the country’s health infrastructure, Rouhani said: “The figures we are talking about today are alarming, and in any case, our infrastructure, health, and medical facilities are not unlimited. These facilities and our capabilities and our staff are limited.”
Empty promises
The Rouhani government made public vaccination conditional on the production of domestic vaccines. But this was no more than a hollow promise, and a few months after the promise of vaccines in the spring, the Jahan-e-Sanat daily wrote on April 26: “The development of domestic vaccines and their clinical efficiencies takes time, and there are no signs of improvement.”
While the government dithers in vaccinating the public, the vaccine is being traded on the black market at very high prices, and the regime’s officials have received doses of approved vaccines.
According to reports, the limited number of vaccines allocated for the vaccination of municipal workers has been stolen by provincial authorities and used to vaccinate their families.
In the cities like Abadan and Aliabad Katoul, northern Iran, the quota of municipal workers covid vaccine was given to municipal managers, city council members, and other officials.
The regime caused the fourth wave
The Rouhani government refused public vaccination and even introduced a very limited injection policy for medical staff and other groups in urgent need of vaccination. Also, during the Nowruz holidays, the government triggered the fourth wave of the pandemic by putting no constraints on commutes.
According to Setareh Sobh on April 26: “The current situation of the spread of the virus in the country is catastrophic. The fourth wave of the Covid-19 began when officials allowed people to travel, shop and visit during the new year holidays. If there was the slightest determination and concern on the part of the decision-makers against the virus, they would not allow this amount of traffic and disregard the protocols. The country was supposed to be closed for two weeks; we still see that these closures have not been fully implemented, and most of the departments are working with a lot of staff. Just look at buses and subways. Buses and subways are filled with employees and workers who must go to work.”
This is all happening at a time when the regime has increased economic pressure on the people.
Arman daily wrote on April 26: “The economic pressure is frustrating the people, and instead of providing support packages, tax, and toll exemptions and lowering the prices of basic goods, the government seeks to raise more taxes and raise the price of goods and electricity and water and … and throws the ball into the people’s court. While the people are being crushed under economic and livelihood difficulties, organizations and economic complexes that are above the law, that for four decades have been collecting property and assets under different names, do not pay taxes, are not accountable, and they claim that they help the oppressed! When and how will they provide this aid?”
What is the regime worried about?
By not controlling the Covid-19, the regime has pushed the outbreak to a point where government officials are also worried about the situation.
Of course, their concern is not because of their empathy toward the people’s suffering but because they are afraid of the anger and outrage of the people.
They know very well that one spark is enough to trigger another massive protest.
They have the experience of the previous uprisings, especially the uprising of November 2019, when people rose up due to the sudden increase in the price of gasoline, which engulfed the entire regime and shook its foundations.
They know very well that if the people rise again, their uprising will be different from the previous uprisings, and the fire of their anger will be doubled.
