An international panel of medical experts held an online conference on Sunday, March 8, 2020, to discuss the spread of COVID-19 in Iran. The panelists explained how the regime’s cover-up of the initial outbreak had allowed the virus to spread, enumerated the decisions that have worsened the crisis, and called on the international community to provide direct assistance to the Iranian people.

The English panel was moderated by Italian medical student Samira Ardalani, who opened the conference by reviewing the IRGC’s criminal actions during the November and January uprisings, including the killing of 1,500 protesters in November.

Ms. Ardalani said that the IRGC is now continuing its suppression by covering up the true number of coronavirus infections. She underlined the role of the IRGC-owned Mahan Airlines in spreading the virus by continuing its flights to China even as the virus spread.

“These actions by the IRGC clearly prove that the Islamic Republic of Iran does not want to halt the crime against the Iranian people nor can it manage or overcome the crisis, therefore it is the international community’s responsibility to intervene on the basis of principle and the responsibility to protect and do not allow this inhuman regime to cause the death of other Iranians. I urge the international community to condemn this massive violation of the Iranian people’s rights by the medieval regime and call on them to stop the IRGC’s crimes against the Iranians,” Ms. Ardalani concluded.

Dr. Sina Dashti, Infectious Diseases Specialist, Sweden

“The main difference between Iran and all other countries is that Iranians are fighting two enemies: one is COVID-19, and the other one is the regime,” said Dr. Dashti.

He pointed to the transparency in the regime’s handling of the virus as a key issue in handling the crisis, noting that the Iranian people have lost trust in their government.

Masood Maghsoodi, Pharmacist, U.S.

Mr. Maghsoodi spoke of the shortages of hand sanitizer, masks, and other supplies in hospitals due to the regime’s corruption and incompetence. He emphasized that doctors and pharmacists should educate the Iranian people on the importance of proper methods of hand washing and disinfection methods, in the absence of government guidance.

“We condemn the Iranian government and activity for covering up this mass infection and many dead people and worse to come. We ask the World Health Organization to send a group to Iran to investigate these situations, and we ask the World Health Organization to send hand sanitizer and whatever people need in Iran and give it to doctors, nurses, and pharmacies and do not give it to the government. We ask the international community to get involved and save the lives of our political prisoners and free them to join their friends and families,” he said, speaking alongside his wife.

Dr. Masoumeh Taheri, Rheumatologist, Italy

“When the first case was seen in Qom, no quarantine was put in place, no tests were done, flights from China—especially from Mahan—were not stopped. They hid all the information regarding the cases of corona and the scientific explanation of the symptoms of the virus, so they did not close, admittedly, the public areas such as the hospital, the schools, the university. This destruction of transparency is the betrayal of the trust between the Iranian government and the Iranian people. Rouhani and Khamenei are responsible for putting Iranians lives at risk,” said Dr. Taheri.

Dr. Ali Zahedi, Infectious Diseases Specialist, Australia

“The regime has neglected the effect of the virus on the people for nearly four months while pleasing its own agenda and forgetting about the people. This has been the habit of the regime for nearly forty years. The bottom line is that we would like to ask the international community, the WHO, the Security Council, and other relevant authorities to take active measures to bring the catastrophe under control by holding the Iranian regime accountable for its cover-up and failure to act,” said Dr. Zahedi.

Dr. Virginia Pishbin, Microbiologist, Italy

“Iran has become a nation of disaster due to a number of factors, including keeping people uninformed of the virus outbreak…to trying to bring people to the fake elections and the total lack of health aids for the population. Even more worrying is the absence of these health aids in sufficient quantities for the medical crews in the hospitals due to the monopolies of the IRGC over the health products and services,” said Dr. Pishbin.

Kimia Shahverdi, Pharmacist, Germany

Ms. Shahverdi discusses how well the German government is handling the coronavirus and said that she feels sorry for the people in Iran who are suffering under the regime’s management of the crisis.

“It is of the utmost importance that people are given the disinfectants and medicine to deal with the symptoms of mild and severe cases of infections, especially because it is simple and inexpensive. For that I call on the international community to help the Iranian people directly and independently,” she said.