Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday dismissed a US offer to help the Islamic republic fight its coronavirus outbreak, charging that “vicious” American sanctions are depriving the country of medicine. Iran has scrambled to halt the rapid spread of the virus that has claimed 92 lives out of 2,922 confirmed infections in the past two weeks. US President Donald Trump had said Saturday he was ready to aid Iran with the virus outbreak if the Islamic republic asked for assistance. Rouhani said the US must first lift sanctions blocking medicine purchases to prove its honest intent to help. “This is the first step… to free banking relations for purchasing medicine, transferring medicine and shipping medicine and food,” he said.

Source: Punch March 04, 2020 11:48 UTC