Ayatollah Khamenei Urges Action against COVID Pandemic

In a televised message delivered on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the recent wave of the coronavirus pandemic, saying this is the first and foremost issue of the country.

Placing great emphasis on the fulfilment of duties and the implementation of decisions regarding the pandemic, the Leader offered important pieces of advice to officials and the people.

“COVID-19 is the country’s number one problem today. This is not just in Iran, but almost everywhere in the world. Coronavirus has an outbreak and then it passes on. The number of infected people and the fatalities are truly tragic. It breaks the heart of any human,” the Leader warned, according to Khamenei.ir.

“Today, the other issue involving COVID-19 pandemic is the exhaustion of the health workers. In this hot summer, facing such problems day and night brings pressure on them, physically and emotionally. Our thanks don’t really matter. The true thanks come from God Who is watching their efforts,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

“The officials’ first duty is to be able to provide free COVID-19 diagnostic testing on a widespread basis for everyone. Both insurance companies and the administration must help with this,” the Leader stressed.

“In the first months of the corona outbreak, the Army and the IRGC took very important measures and the Mobilized Forces (Basij) had a strong presence. Now too, they must work as hard as they can to address this issue and to help the people,” Ayatollah Khamenei underlined.

“God willing, with our dear people observing the guidelines, the pandemic will be less within 2 to 3 months. And God willing, vaccines will be abundantly available in a few months. By God’s grace, problems will decrease or be resolved,” the Leader noted.

“The administration’s second duty concerns COVID vaccine. Fortunately, after production of the Iranian vaccine, some countries’ not carrying out their promise to sell vaccines to us has lessened. But, increased efforts should be made to both import and to produce vaccines internally,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

The Leader also referred to the unreliability of Western governments regarding the sale of corona vaccines to Iran, saying, “The administration and the Ministry of Health had purchased vaccines from certain places and certain countries and through the COVAX. They even paid for it, but the Western sides broke their promises. However, after the arrival of our own vaccine into the market and after the people began to use them, the importation issue improved as well. In other words, the path was cleared.

“In any case, the efforts should be intensified for both the importation of vaccines and for their domestic manufacture. They should provide the people with the vaccine in whatever way possible. Millions of vaccines should become available.”

In another piece of advice, the Leader pointed to the problems related to medication and the distribution network, demanding firm action regarding the violations and the brokerage markets that limit the people’s access to necessary medicines.

Looking back to the services offered by the military and the Basij when the disease had just appeared in the country, Imam Khamenei asked for exploiting the full potential of these groups in helping the people.

He asked the people to remain committed to health protocols and stated that violating these protocols will endanger the whole society.

Ayatollah Khamenei further referred to the Muharram mourning occasions, describing them as a source of divine mercy. “We need these ceremonies. They should be there, but they should be held with utmost care and by observing all protocols.”

The Leader also called on the people to continue making charitable donations during this difficult period.

At the end of his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned, “My last word of advice is that you should pay attention to prayers, to supplication and to reliance on God.”

Imam Khamenei asked the Iranian people to pray to God so that He will save the people of Iran and people all over the world from this malicious disease.