Analysis: "Therefore, Iran receives unexpected corona aid"

The images of Iran's deputy health minister sweating on TV assure that covid-19 is "under control" while coughing and drying his forehead spread around the world a month ago. After the air traffic from Iran stopped and and neighboring countries closed their borders to the country.

Iran is the country most severely affected by the new corona virus in the Middle East. According to the World Health Organization, the actual figures can be five times higher than the official statistics say. What you probably know is that the virus has spread from Iran to several countries in the region.

One sign of the severity of the situation is that several senior Iranian officials and military leaders have died in the disease. At least 12 senior politicians have died in covid-19 and the Iranian government has been criticized for acting too late.

But the crisis also involves humanitarian relief efforts. Despite strained diplomatic relations, three Yellow Flags have sent medical equipment, including gloves and face masks, to Tehran. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar have flagged that aid shipments will continue.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also suggesting that the United States may consider easing sanctions against Iran to facilitate the fight against the corona virus. The message came after the UN Secretary-General appealed to the United States to mitigate the harsh sanctions policy - with the motivation that the sanctions would jeopardize human health and weaken the opportunities to fight the pandemic. In the past, Washington has insisted that sanctions continue, and only a few days ago they were tightened.

Iran confirmed the country's first corona fall on February 19. The authorities then announced that two people had died as a result of the virus in the city of Qom.

The fact that the first coronation notice was related to death raises suspicions that the virus was already widespread in Qom and that the authorities were aware of it.

Local politicians have criticized the government for withholding information about the infection because it did not want to postpone the country's parliamentary elections held on February 21. The spread of infection had its center in the holy city of Qom and spread from there with pilgrims to other cities in Iran and to other countries.

In interviews with international media, Iranian healthcare professionals have confirmed that the country's hospitals are suffering from a lack of protective equipment - and that the situation was particularly serious at the onset of the virus outbreak. At the same time, Iran's foreign minister has claimed that the fight against the virus has been made more difficult by US sanctions.

Recently, Iran's president refused to US aid on the grounds that sanctions against the country should be lifted.

The United States reintroduced sanctions on Iran after leaving the international nuclear agreement with the country two years ago. The US Secretary of State pointed out yesterday that the sanctions exempt imports of medical supplies and medicines. But since banks participating in business with Iran run the risk of US criminal actions, it has been difficult for, for example, European companies to trade with Iran.

This week, France Germany and the UK have exported medicines and medical supplies to Iran. The German Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that the payment mechanism Instex was being used for the first time. Instex was invented after the US withdrew its nuclear deal with Iran. The goal is for European countries to be able to trade with Iran without being subjected to US criminal actions.

In the past, China has appealed to the United States to abolish trade sanctions as they hamper Iran's ability to fight the spread of covid-19. According to The Guardian, Britain has also made an unofficial request to the US to temporarily lift the sanctions.