Events Review:
Late December 2019: One month has passed since bloody November, during which the regime has massacred more than 1500 protesters in a most cruel fashion and, despite not giving any exact details of the massacre itself, keeps denying all reports from international organizations and independent media. The regime is under tremendous pressure on the world stage, and the United States is increasing this “maximum pressure” on all regime’s pillars.
Dr. Li Wenliang, a 33-year-old physician from Wuhan, China, talks with his colleagues about numerous cases of a particular type of lung disease that he thought was “SARS” for the first time in a private chatroom. Wenliang and seven of his colleagues are immediately pursued by Chinese police. They were forced to sign a silence pledge. But it was too late. Doctors had bypassed official channels and sent samples to laboratories for research. One month later, Wenliang died of COVID-19.
Within a month, the number of people infected with Coronavirus passes thousands of people and extends beyond the borders of China. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization announces a “global emergency” to prevent outbreaks in countries with poor health / medical infrastructures and averting a human catastrophe.
In Iran
January is an eventful month in contemporary Iranian history. Qassim Soleimani is killed this month during an offshore operation in Iraq. The IRGC’s revenge scream grows, and a few days later, the regime drunken with propaganda of Qassim Soleimani’s funeral, shoots down a passenger airliner over Imam Khomeini Airport (IKA) by firing two missiles directly at it. All the passengers are killed. The regime lies at all levels to the world for three consecutive days, citing technical failure as the reason for the plane crash. Three days after the arrival of independent investigative teams from Canada and Ukraine, the regime is forced to confess.
The same day as WHO announcing emergency situation on Jan 30, according to reports released by Iran International yesterday, the first reports of Coronavirus in Iran are reported to the Supreme National Security Council and the Ministry of Health. But since the regime is in dire need of legitimacy and needs to inject its sham “popularity” into the public mind during pro-regime demonstration of 22 Bahman (Feb 11,2020 – 41st anniversary of Islamic Republic revolution) in the next 10 days, it chooses secrecy and lies again. This discretion is extended till the ridiculous parliamentary elections on Feb 21, 2020.
Iran newspaper on Feb 12, reports that a 63-year-old woman died of Coronavirus infection in a hospital in Tehran on February 10. Health Ministry Spokesman, Kianoush Jahanpour denies the news.
A few days later, a letter from deputy minister of health to President Hassan Rouhani was published in the press and social media. The letter mentions that “There are 35 cases of Coronavirus in Iran, 4 died of the disease.” This news is also denied.
On Thursday, February 20, the regime is no longer able to hide the spread of the Coronavirus in Iran and publishes its first official report confirming 5 cases and only two casualties in Qom. [1].
A physician at Iran University of Medical Sciences who is currently in quarantine with positive Coronavirus test, tells Iran International correspondents:
“About four weeks ago, we received patients with COVID-19 symptoms without authorities telling us anything about it. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Health officials acted unethically and by not informing hospitals’ staff, caused me and several nurses to contract the disease.”
As a result of this series of lies and secrecy, not only did many of our people die, but other countries were exposed to a deadly and dangerous disease due to the carelessness and wrong decisions of the regime’s officials. As is now clear, many cases of confirmed Coronavirus cases and deaths worldwide have gone from Iran to other countries.
This is a translation of this article by Sahar.
Photo: “London Underground”, Peter Lawrence