Iran outperforms Europe, U.S. in COVID-19 response despite sanctions: minister

Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-17 17:51:15|Editor: huaxia

TEHRAN, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Despite U.S. sanctions, Iran has done a much better job in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an Iranian minister was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Sunday.

"Iran is outperforming European and American countries in dealing with the COVID-19 despite being under severe sanctions and international pressures," Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said at a ceremony to unveil new hospital equipment in the capital Tehran.

"Unlike in the U.S. and Europe, there was not a single nurse or doctor in Iran to go on strike because of a shortage of medical supplies in the early days of the outbreak," he noted.

During its battle against the disease, Iran has managed to turn into an exporter of some medical items patients and medical workers need, according to the minister.

Iran reported 35 deaths from coronavirus on Saturday, the country's lowest daily death toll in 70 days.

So far, a total of 118,392 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the Islamic republic, of whom 6,937 died.

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