Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 9, 2020—The people of Iran have become the victim of a regime that prioritizes its interests over their wellbeing, doctors, pharmacists, and nurses from 19 countries said in an online conference on Sunday. The medical experts discussed how the Iranian regime’s corrupt policies, its cover-up of the epidemic, and subpar response to the spread of the virus have contributed to the current tragedy in Iran, which has already taken the lives of more than 2,300 people and infected numerous people with COVID-19.
An endless stream of secrecy and lies
“During the 2019 uprisings, Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) forces opened fire on demonstrators and killed over 1,500 people,” Samira Ardalan, a medical student from Italy and the moderator of the conference, said in her opening remarks. Those figures were investigated and declared by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The regime still refrains from declaring the official figure of the number of people its security forces have killed.
“Shortly after, IRGC targeted the Ukrainian plane. When students and other people called for accountability, the IRGC again resorted to mass arrests, spread lies and prevented the transfer of the plane’s black box to investigators,” Ardalan added.
The regime has continued the same policy of covering up the truth in respect with the coronavirus outbreak. According to MEK sources, more than 2,300 people have died of the virus so far. The government-declared figure of deaths is 194. “The IRGC continues to cover up the facts. Official figures are not even close to the real numbers,” Ardalan said.
“Transparency is key to fighting epidemics. The regime is preventing news of the epidemic from being broadcasted,” said Dr. Sina Dashti, an infectologist from Sweden.
“The regime is prioritizing its own agendas, including the pro-regime rallies, the elections, and the nuclear program. The regime’s corruption is impeding any possible response to the situation either inside the country or by international organizations,” said Dr. Ali Zahedi, an Iranian physician in Australia.
Early signs of coronavirus infection were seen in Iran while the regime was preparing for pro-government rallies on the anniversary of the 1979 revolution and parliamentary elections. The regime needed large participation in both events in to get a quasi-vote of confidence to continue its crimes and create the impression of popular support inside the country. That’s why regime officials decided to keep the issue secret and prevented from informing the public until February 19, when it acknowledged two COVID-19 deaths.
The regime’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak is in stark contrast to the measures other countries have taken, the medical expert. “In Lombardia, we have more than 5,000 cases and more than 200 deaths. Our hospital has established different departments focusing on infected patients. The Italian government has taken measures to inform people on how to deal with the virus if they are infected and how to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Masoumeh Taheri, a rheumatologist in Italy.
Abysmal handling of the situation
One of the key shortcomings the medical experts pointed to was the regime’s poor administration of the coronavirus situation and lack of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“China quarantined many cities to stop the spread of the disease. But the Iranian regime did not take any actions to stop the virus spread. Now that the virus has expanded to many cities, [Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei says ‘we have seen worse’ and ‘people should pray,” said Dr. Massoud Maghsoodi, a pharmacist in Michigan.
“Quarantine measures were not implemented after the first infection was seen in the city of Qom. No tests were done. Flights to and from China did not stop. They hid information about the coronavirus and did not close public areas such as schools, universities, etc. This lack of transparency is a betrayal of the Iranian people’s trust of the Iranian people,” Dr. Taheri added.
Not only did the regime’s officials refrain from imposing quarantines on hotbed locations in the country, they called quarantines outdated and encouraged people to visit holy shrines to be healed of the virus.
Mahan Air, which is owned by the IRGC, and is purportedly the main culprit in the entrance of COVID-19 to Iran, continues its flights to and from China, further endangering the people of Iran as well as other countries.
“Even China has said that some cases that have tested positive for COVID-19 come from Iran,” said Virginia Pishbeen, microbiologist in Italy. “The Iranian regime’s propaganda are not only putting the population of Iran at risk, but are also turning Iran into an epicenter for transmitting the virus to other countries.”
Coronavirus cases from Iran have been spotted in more than a dozen countries across the world, including the U.S., Canada, and several Middle Eastern nations.
Further rendering the situation critical is the shortage of medical and sanitary gear. “[The coronavirus outbreak] has become a national disaster due to a number of factors, including keeping people uninformed, the criminal cover-up of the situation to bring people to the elections, lack of supplies and medical gear, and the monopoly of the IRGC on Iran’s healthcare apparatus. These factors have contributed to worsening the situation and killing more people,” Dr. Pishbeen said.
“Lack of medicine and medical gear is killing healthcare workers. The IRGC is taking advantage of this situation to make a fortune. Ordinary Iranians are helping supply important material to hospitals while the government does not,” Dr. Dashti added.
There are several reports that the IRGC and other government bodies are hoarding medical and sanitary supplies and selling them at very high prices or exporting them to other countries.
“Our colleagues in Iran are going through a very difficult situation. They are faced with a shortage of medical supplies. The regime has been neglecting the effects of the virus because it has its own agenda. This has been the habit of the regime in the past 40 years,” Dr. Zahedi added.
The people of Iran are fighting two enemies
“[Iranian regime President Hassan] Rouhani and Khamenei are responsible for putting Iranians’ lives at risk. Political prisoners are in danger. I call on the international community to condemn the regime and help save the lives of the people of Iran and political prisoners,” Dr. Taheri said.
At the end of the day, there will be no permanent solution to the coronavirus epidemic and the multitude of calamities that have befell the Iranian people as long as the mullahs are in power, the speakers stressed at the conference.
“Where there are no social and political rights, the right to healthcare will also be missing. I express my support for all my colleagues in Iran who are risking their lives to save the coronavirus patients,” Dr. Pishbeen said.
“The mullahs’ regime cannot and will not do anything to stop this tragedy. They only want to maintain their hold on power. The only solution is to topple this regime,” Dr. Dashti said.
“In every normal country, people rally behind their government to fight disasters. Iranians are left abandoned to fight two viruses: COVID-19 and the mullahs’ regime,” Dr. Zahedi said.
