As many countries are taking precautions to safeguard their people against coronavirus, including limiting incoming flights from China as well as added layers of inspection for Chinese imports, Iran has decided to protect their trade with Bei Jing. This measure is causing fear among Iranians that it is only a matter of time before the pandemic becomes prevalent in the Islamic Republic reports the Gateway Pundit.
the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)-owned Mahan Airways is continuing flights to China, including to and from the Wuhan Province, where the outbreak initially erupted. Regime officials such as foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, have publicly stated messages of support for China. In a tweet in Chinese, Zarif said that he “expressed appreciation and gratitude for China’s successful measures to fight the pandemic. China not only prevented the epidemic from deteriorating at home but also prevented the epidemic from spreading internationally” he added. He then went on to condemn the United States for doing a poor job in controlling the H1N1 flu in 2009.
Zarif also said that the Chinese are “descendants of Adam are brothers, which means they are brothers and sisters”. He added that “if one member of the body is contaminated, the whole body will be contaminated.”
These types of statements have to lead many Iranians to feel that the regime cares more about protecting their commercial and arms trade with China rather than being concerned about the lives of the Iranian people. Iranians have also reported that it is almost impossible to obtain protective face masks as the expatriate Chinese community in Iran have claimed Iran’s entire supply of masks for themselves.