{"id":25000,"date":"2021-08-20T08:00:58","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T06:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/?p=25000"},"modified":"2021-08-19T22:10:25","modified_gmt":"2021-08-19T20:10:25","slug":"as-iran-covid-19-crisis-deepens-state-media-call-for-khameneis-accountability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/articles\/2021\/08\/as-iran-covid-19-crisis-deepens-state-media-call-for-khameneis-accountability\/25000\/","title":{"rendered":"As Iran Covid-19 Crisis Deepens, State Media Call for Khamenei\u2019s Accountability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The National Council of Resistance of Iran<\/a> (NCRI) reported <\/a>on August 18 that Iran is currently experiencing one of its worst humanitarian crises within the past forty years, as the country is severely afflicted with cases of Covid-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to figures from the Iranian opposition, 2,000 people lost their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, August 17 alone, bringing the total number of deaths to 368,400<\/a>. This current crisis could have been prevented if Covid-19 vaccines had not been banned at the beginning of the year by the regime\u2019s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NCRI <\/a>said, \u201cThe situation has reached a point where the regime state media acknowledge the regime\u2019s inaction, vaccination scam and warn about social backlash<\/a>.\u00a0In recent days, the regime officials have confirmed they are about to purchase 30 million doses of vaccine. Yet, the state media have described this action as a desperate attempt to control society\u2019s anger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jomleh, a state-run daily, reported that the regime\u2019s actions serve as propaganda<\/a>, saying that \u201cthanks to the social media, officials post their images while helping people and going to the heart of problems. But they refuse to underline that they are in fact unable to resolve the crisis.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NCRI said, \u201cKhamenei <\/a>banned Covid-19 vaccines<\/a>, so he could use the deadly virus to control the restive society. He had called the coronavirus a \u201ctest\u201d and \u201cblessing\u201d and used the virus as an ally to quell society. Some of the regime\u2019s officials blatantly claimed the foreign powers intend to spy on Iranians using the Covid-19 vaccines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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