Iranian army launches "biological defense" maneuver to combat Corona

The commander-in-chief of the Iranian army, Major-General Abdul Rahim Mousavi, has announced that the army will begin what he called biological defense maneuvers to combat the spread of the Corona virus across the country.

Mousavi stated that it was decided to carry out these maneuvers after a meeting of the leadership of the army, according to the instructions of the guide of the Iranian Republic, Ali Khamenei, and aims to establish health and treatment centers to combat the spread of the Corona virus in 300 regions and cities across the country.

The exercises, which start today, will be under the leadership of the biological defense headquarters in the army and the participation of the land, air, naval and air defense forces.

"Reducing the outbreak of the Coruna virus is one of the goals that His Eminence the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces has said," Major General Mousavi was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying.

The Iranian guide had recently said that there are indications and evidence that reinforce the hypothesis of a biological attack by the Coruna virus.

Khamenei added that the Iranian armed forces could increase their readiness to confront biological attacks through an experiment to combat the epidemic, ordering them to establish a medical center to combat the virus.

In a letter to the head of the General Authority of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian guide said that it is necessary for this center to establish mobile hospitals and centers to care for patients infected with the virus and limit its spread.

It is reported that the virus infected and wiped out many official, political and religious figures in Iran. And local media reported last Thursday that Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor of the Iranian guide for international affairs, was infected with the virus and subjected to quarantine. He is a doctor and the director of a hospital dedicated to treating people living with the virus.

Prior to this, two Vice-President Hassan Rouhani, Isaac Jahangiri and Masooma Ibtikar, were infected with the virus, as well as ministers and parliamentarians.