Al Arabiya, citing unidentified sources, says at least 18 people in Iran are believed to have died of coronavirus

 

 

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Al Arabiya, citing unidentified sources, says at least 18 people in Iran are believed to have died of coronavirus. The official death toll is still 5.

The outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, where the deadly virus has killed 18 people according to Al Arabiya sources, is the fault of US President Donald Trump, said a senior Iranian religious cleric on Friday.

Coronavirus, which initially broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan, claimed its first victims in Iran on Wednesday when two elderly people died in the Shia holy city of Qom. It has since killed more than 15 and up to 18 people, according to Al Arabiya sources' initial reports. Iran puts the death toll at eight.

“The enemy wants to instill fear in people’s hearts, make Qom look like an unsafe city and to take revenge for all its defeats,” said Imam Hojjat ol-Eslam Seyyed Mohammad Saeedi as he led Friday prayers in Qom, reported opposition outlet Radio Farda.

“Trump will die frustrated in his wish to see Qom defeated,” he added.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/02/23/Iranian-cleric-blames-coronavirus-Iran-outbreak-on-Donald-Trump.html