(2020-03-22). It's strange for US to offer help against Covid-19 outbreak after 'accusations' it created the virus — Iran's Khamenei. rt.com 
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said it was not the right time for Iran to reach out for US aid to help it combat the pandemic, citing earlier allegations that the contagion could have been created in America. | "Several times Americans have offered to help Iran to contain the virus … You are accused of creating this virus. I do not know whether it is true, but it is strange that you want to help Iran," Khamenei said in a televised speech on Sunday. | He did not go into the details, saying that it was nonetheless "unwise" to accept American aid, given the circumstances. | The unverified claims that th…
(2020-03-22). WorkWeek On SF Housing With Dean Preston, ILWU Port Safety & UCSF AFSCME Cancer Cluster. indybay.org WorkWeek interviews SF Supervisor Dean Preston about the housing crisis and the fight against evictions. Next WorkWeek hears about UAW auto worker wildcats over the failure to protect the health and safety of auto workers. We interview UAW 551 Chicago Ford worker Scott Houldierson. | Next WorkWeek hears about the conditions of Bay Area Longshore workers who are members of ILWU Local 10 with Trent Willis, president of the Local. | Last, WorkWeek interviews Stella Miranda, the wife of a UCSF AFSCME 3299 worker whose worksite was on radioactive contaminated land at the Hunters Point shipyard. | She talks about what…
(2020-03-22). Medical charity MSF deploys coronavirus treatment centre in Iran. yenisafak.com Medical charity MSF is setting up a 50-bed emergency centre to treat severe COVID-19 cases in Iran, the French organisation said on Sunday.A team of nine MSF intensive care medics will staff the facility on the grounds of the Amin hospital in the central province of Isfahan, the charity said, as Iran grapples with the worst outbreak of coronavirus in the region."The size of the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran is particularly worrying," MSF said, citing the country's 20,610 cases and 1,556 deaths as of March 20, according to official figures. In recent days, Tehran freed a French academic in a prisoner swap that also sa…
(2020-03-22). Afghanistan reports 10 new coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com Authorities in Afghanistan on Sunday reported 10 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including two in the capital Kabul for the first time, taking the total to 34.Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz told a press conference that the 10 new cases nationwide — out of 97 tests — include two foreign diplomats based in Kabul, but declined to give more details.Feroz demanded the government declare a complete lockdown in the frontline state of Herat bordering Iran, which has emerged as the epicenter behind the spread of virus in Afghanistan, with thousands of deportees entering on a daily basis.
(2020-03-22). Lockdown is Not Enough to Stop the Coronavirus – WHO Emergency Executive. sputniknews.com The COVID-19 pandemic recently surpassed 300,000 cases, while the death toll is over 13,000. The infection has struck over 120 countries, with the main centres of the outbreak outside China being located in Italy, the United States, Spain, Germany, and Iran.
(2020-03-22). Iran Doubts US Aid Amid Pandemic, Suspects Their Involvement in Virus Spread – Supreme Leader. sputniknews.com According to the head of state, Washington has offered to help Tehran fight the coronavirus outbreak. At the same time, the United States stated this week that there will be no sanctions relief for Iran, despite calls to ease the pressure amid the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-03-22). Official: Upward Trend in Coronavirus Cases in Tehran Stops. iranian.com Governor of Tehran Province said the rising trend in the new cases of COVID-19 in the Iranian province has stopped. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Anushirvan Mohseni said the growing trend in the coronavirus cases in the province of Tehran has stopped. While the growth rate of new infections on March 19 stood at 7 …
(2020-03-21). German public broadcaster ARD sends birthday greetings to Russian FM Lavrov — for tetchy tabloid Bild, this was too much to bear. rt.com 
Congratulating someone on their birthday is the polite thing to do, but apparently not when anti-Russian hysteria comes into play. The German public broadcaster ARD has just learned this the hard way. | Sergey Lavrov, who has been Russia's foreign minister since 2004 and one of the most recognizable figures on the international political scene, turned 70 on Saturday. From the landmark Iran Nuclear Deal to settling the conflict in Syria, he was directly involved in the most high-profile global events of the last 16 years. | A diplomat with such a scoresheet surely deserves a few words of appreciation on his big…
(2020-03-21). Delicious: Najmieh Batmanglij transforms Iran's national dish into a pizza. iranian.com Ghormeh sabzi on a pizza? Yara convinced the goddess of Iranian cuisine, Najmieh Batmanglij, to transform Iran's national dish into a pizza … with tons of cheese! Was it a delicacy or a disaster? Watch to find out.
(2020-03-21). Nowruz: The world keeps burning, but it keeps on turning. iranian.com Happy Iranian New Year, it's 1399! last year didn't end so well, but don't complete your 14th century on a lousy note! The 15th century is around the corner, and there is so much to look forward to. Enjoy your holiday, like all of Iran, then get back to work, and remember… Iranians have survived …
(2020-03-21). Qatar's 2nd medical shipment arrives in Tehran. iranian.com Second anti-COVID19 consignment donated by Qatari government arrived in Imam Khomeini International Airport in the capital on Friday to help Iran's fight against coronavirus outbreak. Based on the coordination between Iran and Qatar's governments and follow-ups made by Iran's Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian as Iranian head of Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, Tehran received second …
(2020-03-20). Expert: US sanctions on Iran, Venezuela during pandemic could be genocidal. thegrayzone.com Intensified US sanctions on Iran, Venezuela during the COVID-19 pandemic could amount to genocide, a former UN expert warns. Iran…
(2020-03-20). Pompeo and Netanyahu paved a path to war with Iran, and they're pushing Trump again. thegrayzone.com Though it narrowly averted war with Iran this January, the Trump administration is still pushing for all-out military conflict. The…
(2020-03-20). Stop Tightening the Thumb Screws against Iran. A Humanitarian Message. globalresearch.ca U.S. sanctions against Iran, cruelly strengthened in March of 2018, continue a collective punishment of extremely vulnerable people. Presently, the U.S. "maximum pressure" policy severely undermines Iranian efforts to cope with the ravages of COVID-19, causing hardship and tragedy while …
(2020-03-20). Iran's IMF Request Shows Just How Desperate Tehran has Become. globalresearch.ca The combination of crippling American sanctions, the compliance with the aforesaid by the US' "comprehensive global strategic partner" India (formerly one of Tehran's top energy partners) out of fear of so-called "secondary sanctions", the uncontrollable outbreak of COVID-19 in the …
(2020-03-20). Iran Willing to Help Fight Coronavirus in the United States. telesurenglish.net Iran's President Hassan Rouhani Friday stated his willingness to support the United States with medical personnel in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | "These are times of brotherhood. The best way to overcome the new coronavirus is through unity," Rouhani said. | "While other nations are bent on endangering the lives of their citizens, Iran is ready to focus its efforts on ending the pandemic," he added…
(2020-03-20). Happy Nowruz! ŸÜŸàÿ±Ÿàÿ≤ÿ™ÿßŸÜ ŸÖÿ®ÿßÿ±⁄©. iranian.com …
(2020-03-20). 'In This Dark Hour for the Iranian People,' Groups Demand Trump End Inhumane Sanctions Amid COVID-19 Outbreak. commondreams.org More than two dozen U.S. organizations came together Friday to pressure the Trump administration to recognize the coronavirus pandemic as a "shared threat" and temporarily ease economic sanctions on Iran, one of the countries hardest hit by the disease with nearly 20,000 COVID-19 cases and over 1,400 deaths. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12030525931.jpg …
(2020-03-19). Headlines for March 19, 2020. democracynow.org Italy Records Record 475 Coronavirus Deaths as Infections Continue Climbing, British PM Boris Johnson Closes Schools After Reversing Lax Virus Containment Plan, Millions of Brazilians Protest from Windows and Balconies Demanding President's Ouster, World Health Organization Warns Critical Lack of Testing Is Costing Lives, Egypt Arrests Protesters Calling for Release of Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19, Yemen, Already Wracked by U.S.-Supported, Saudi-Led War, Braces for Coronavirus, Trump Admin Tightens Sanctions That Have Devastated Iran's Public Health System, Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Bill Providing Paid Leav…
(2020-03-19). Iranian Doctors Urge Neighbours to Liquidate Any US Biological Labs Amid Coronavirus Fears. iranian.com With over 17,300 cases and 1,135 deaths to date, Iran has been one of the countries hit hardest by COVID-19, with the virus affecting not only the population at large, but a big portion of the political elite as well. Last week, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said there was evidence that the pandemic may have …
(2020-03-19). US Aims to 'Maximize Suffering' With Iran Sanctions as Outbreak Deepens — Scholar. iranian.com On Tuesday, the US added even more sanctions on Iran, which is in the midst of a severe COVID-19 outbreak. US sanctions were already killing the sick in Iran even before the pandemic, but one Iranian scholar told Sputnik the bigger problem is regional poverty, which is also largely Washington's doing. US Secretary of State …
(2020-03-19). Vulnerable Vets: Coronavirus Threatens Iran's Chemical-Weapons Victims. iranian.com As the deadly coronavirus continues to bedevil Iran, there is growing concern about the danger it poses to tens of thousands of victims of chemical weapons who suffer from respiratory problems and lung diseases. An estimated 100,000 Iranians survived chemical-weapons attacks by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and many are disabled …
(2020-03-19). China, France send anti-Coronavirus aid to Iran. iranian.com Beijing Municipality sent 30 tons of medical and healthcare items to Iran in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The donation has been sent to the capital city of Tehran by 11 trucks. Thanking China for the measure, Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi called for mutual cooperation in various areas. France sends medical aid …
(2020-03-18). 12 Ways the U.S. Invasion of Iraq Lives on in Infamy. dissidentvoice.org While the world is consumed with the terrifying coronavirus pandemic, on March 19 the Trump administration will be marking the 17th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq by ramping up the conflict there. After an Iran-aligned militia allegedly struck a U.S. base near Baghdad on March 11, the U.S. military carried out retaliatory strikes …
(2020-03-18). Iran reports spike in deaths. iranian.com Iran reported 147 more deaths from the coronavirus, its single biggest jump. The 15 percent spike raised the death toll to 1,135 people nationwide. The rise in deaths comes as the number of infections continues to grow each day, with some 17,361 people infected, according to Iran's deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi.
(2020-03-18). US Imposes New Iran Sanctions, Complicating Coronavirus. iranian.com Last week, Iranian officials emphasized that US sanctions are making their reaction to the coronavirus outbreak much more difficult, leading to both Iran and China to urge the US to put those sanctions on hold for humanitarian reason. Not going after Iran for humanitarian reasons, needless to say, isn't a policy that the administration considers, …
(2020-03-17). Khamenei finally grasps severity of Coronavirus: Issues fatwa banning 'unnecessary travel'. iranian.com The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has made a religious ruling that prohibits "unnecessary travel" in the country in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19. Iran's death toll from the outbreak is nearing 1,000. The fatwa urges citizens to respect the orders of the health authorities and to refrain from traveling …
(2020-03-17). How can the US support Iran's response to the coronavirus and bolster diplomacy? iranian.com As Tehran is scrambling to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus in Iran, Mark Fitzpatrick explains why the United States should facilitate the humanitarian assistance Iran needs to address its current public health crisis. The United States' policy toward Iran is stuck in a rut. Government officials know well that the maximum pressure campaign …
(2020-03-17). Iran calls on Europe to defy US sanctions amid COVID-19 outbreak. iranian.com Iran's foreign minister has called on London and the European Union to defy Washington's anti-Iran sanctions amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. In a Monday phone conversation with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced the US' illegal and unilateral sanctions against Iran as an obstacle to the battle …
(2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …
(2020-03-12). Headlines for March 12, 2020. democracynow.org World Health Organization Declares Coronavirus Pandemic, Top Italian Health Official Among 827 Coronavirus Dead as Italy Faces "Darkest Hour", Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as "Medical Terrorism" as Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 429, President Trump Announces Europe Travel Ban in Error-Laden Oval Office Speech, U.S. Labs Face Shortage of Supplies Needed to Test for Coronavirus, Sen. Lamar Alexander Blocks Quick Passage of Paid Sick Leave Bill, School Closures from Coronavirus Affecting Over 1 Million K-12 Students Nationwide, Bernie Sanders Promises to Question Biden Over Progressive Policies at Next Debate, Joe Bid…
(2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Both chambers and …
(2020-03-09). [Comment] How will country-based mitigation measures influence the course of the COVID-19 epidemic? thelancet.com Governments will not be able to minimise both deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the economic impact of viral spread. Keeping mortality as low as possible will be the highest priority for individuals; hence governments must put in place measures to ameliorate the inevitable economic downturn. In our view, COVID-19 has developed into a pandemic, with small chains of transmission in many countries and large chains resulting in extensive spread in a few countries, such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, and Japan.
(2020-02-13). Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.
(2020-02-07). [Comment] Corticosteroids in acute respiratory distress syndrome: a step forward, but more evidence is needed. thelancet.com Debate continues about the potential role of corticosteroids as therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).1—3 In The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Jesús Villar and colleagues4 report the results from a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial investigating prolonged dexamethasone treatment in patients with established moderate-to-severe ARDS, which adds important new data to this debate. In this study, patients in the dexamethasone group had reduced duration of ventilation and mortality compared with those in the control group;4 the primary outcome, ventilator-free days at 28 days, w…
(2020-02-05). Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month. theantimedia.com Trump told reporters that the U.S. came "closer than you thought" to war with Iran last month.
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2020-01-08). In the ongoing crisis, Congress must rein in Trump's war powers. peaceaction.org As we feared, President Trump's reckless assassination of Iran's Gen. Soleimani resulted in escalation — direct Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq. It's painful to watch more violence in a country that has already suffered far too much from endless war. All parties in the US/Iran conflict must cease military action and …
(2019-12-16). [Comment] Planning for the next pandemic: a call for new guidance. thelancet.com "Everything flows and nothing abides, everything gives way and nothing stays fixed"Heraclitus…
(2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …
(2019-09-25). Take Action to Avoid War with Iran. peaceaction.org photo credit Dear Groundswell Readers, We have to keep pushing Congress this week if we want to avoid war with Iran. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said recently that the U.K. might join a U.S.-led military effort in the Gulf. When other nations step up to join the "coalition of the willing" it's often a bad sign. …
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …