The dire situation in Iran is getting worse by the minute. According to Sima Sadat Lari and her undercounted and fake numbers, 2,691 new cases and 153 deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours. Hospitals are at full capacity and people have no choice but to either die of COVID-19 or starve to death at home! Saeed Namaki, Islamic Republic’s Health Minister, says, “We knew the numbers would go up after reopening the country but we had no choice. We were forced by our economic situation.” The “economic situation” which was imposed on the whole country because Islamic Republic and its leaders wanted to expand their “Shia empire” ideology!
Namaki praised his work and plans they had to combat coronavirus while complaining about US and its sanctions which had caused extremely difficult economical situation. He rambled on for a while praising and admiring Khamenei and how he had supported the Minister. However, he also said, he only had received 30% of the 1billion Euro Khamenei had allowed withdrawing from National Development Fund! He repeated his previous claim saying, “We were ahead of the curve. We had reached 1 digit daily deaths in 13 provinces, including Tehran. We were 7-1 ahead of US and EU. Our healthcare staff sacrificed themselves to protect their compatriots.” He used to say the score was 5-1, apparently increased cases and deaths due to poor management has added to his score!
While he was complaining about sanctions, he said, “The criminal US is the most to blame. I, as the Health Minister, am responsible for people’s health and wanted to lock down the country, but I was ordered to make plans to prevent unrest! I had to devise plans for reopenings. It wasn’t that we didn’t know how this would end, we were forced to.” He continued, “Security forces must prevent unrest and riots, not me.” He said the time has passed and people won’t be going backward. “We can’t use the same plans and tactics like “Stay at Home”, that would be going back 5 months. We have to ask media, TV, celebrities, … to use their influence and ask people to follow health instructions like wearing masks and social distancing. We have to become creative in devising new ways to stop the spread of the virus and prevent unrest.” Namaki complained about some officials normalizing the situation by saying corona was defeated, and said that was part of why he refrained from interviews. He threatened, “If our achievements in health department is attacked, I would have to say somethings that may be beyond some people’s mindset!”
Khamenei, Rouhani and Namaki himself were the top officials bragging about their success and control of the virus in front of cameras! Although he kept saying this wasn’t over, but at the same he would say “we’ve been the best in the world to control the pandemic” in front of cameras. How did he expect the people to take this as?! He talks about sanctions but doesn’t mention Khamenei and the huge apparatus under him have BILLIONS of dollars (in cash or investments) to use for people but instead he asked people to send him money! Namaki speaks about sanctions but doesn’t say Khamenei and IRGC had been attacking US forces in Iraq, sending weapons and loads of cash to Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, but still claim sanctions have been the cause for ravaging poverty in the country! Apparently, he’s been given the mission to whitewash Khamenei and the regime of any fault, calling Khamenei an angel on earth!
Rouhani, Namaki’s boss and the “President of Islamic Republic” also blamed people and not regime’s mismanagement and incompetency! He banned all weddings and funerals and mandated wearing masks for everybody at all times, it’s worth mentioning, 141 days have passed since the beginning of the pandemic in Iran, according to “officials”. The rush and sudden reopening of businesses, not quarantining the hot spots in the beginning,… are all people’s fault according to Islamic Republic who owns all media in the country and has been trumpeting this idea every day!
In the meantime, and despite “Namaki’s brilliant plans to combat the virus”, Sadat Lari announced Khuzestan, Hormozgan, Bushehr, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Ilam, East & West Azerbaijan and Khorasan Razavi as red while Tehran, Isfahan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Alborz, Kerman, Yazd, Sistan-Baluchestan, Hamedan and Ardebil are designated as “alarming”. Tehran Governor said “for us “alarming” means red. It would be impossible to control the virus if it reaches “red”.” Khuzestan ICU beds are full, Uromia closed its cemetery and Ardebil officials announce 20% of province have contracted coronavirus. Kermanshah Governor said every 3.5hour one person dies of COVID-19 in his province. The situation is the same around the country!
Basic Reproduction Rate (R0) has increased to 1.3, and graphs continue to be the best indication in the ongoing crisis. Islamic Republic leaders are scared to their core from the upcoming unrest, something more widespread and radical than November 2019, but at the same time struggling to weather COVID-19 storm safely. However, it looks like this could be their last storm!
R0: 1.30
Total: 248,379 (+2,691)
Dead: 12,084 (+153)
Healed: 209,463
Critical: 3,309 (+39)
Admitted: 26,832 (+75)
Tests: 1,872,391 (Number of labs wasn’t mentioned in today’s news. Officials may have finally figured out there are discrepancies when they lie.)
