20th March, 2020
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has called the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) ”an unwelcome guest” as the pandemic rocks the country.
Whilst giving a speech to mark the Persian New Year on Friday, he promised that his administration will weather the challenges of the viral disease.
Iran is the worst-hit country in the Middle East, with 19,644 infected and 1,284 dead.
Asides the health challenge, Iran reels under the weight of the United States sanctions, to block its nuclear programmes.
In a televised statement, Rouhani said COVID-19 would soon be banished. He added that Iran would prevail against the U.S. sanctions as well, even though they were hurting the country’s economy and especially its oil sector, by showing resistance and ramping up domestic production.
“We had two great challenges in the last year, which we will have to beat in the new year,” he said.