Iran Health Minister Saeed Namaki has written to Indian counterpart Dr Harsh Vardhan, expressing readiness to support India as it battles a second wave of Covid-19. Namaki in his letter wrote that Tehran is ready to offer “technical assistance, expertise and equipment in these difficult days and at the height of the plight of the dear citizens of India”.
“Managing this pandemic is possible only with solidarity, cooperation and assistance of all countries in the shadow of equity, elimination of discrimination and sanctions, as well as the fair access to all effective facilities in prevention, diagnosis and treatment for each needy people of the world and political, expertise and economic support of international organisations and non-governmental organisations,” the letter from the Iranian minister read.
Highlighting that Iran has “gone through difficult times due to the unlawful unilateral sanctions and its implications on medicine, vaccines and medical equipment supplies, he further said that the exchange of experiences with scientific, research and production centres can create a brighter future for the two countries with a long history of scientific, cultural and production exchanges.
“The government and people of Iran are ready to spare no technical assistance, expertise and equipment in these difficult days and at the height of the plight of the dear citizens of India with the Covid-19 epidemic,” he wrote.
Earlier in the day, expressing solidarity with the people of India, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that they are preparing a “mission to support” to aid India’s fight against the pandemic. Merkel’s show of support comes days after her criticism of the slowdown of vaccine exports from India against the backdrop of a record spike in coronavirus infections in the country.
The European Union (EU) has also said it will support India amid the sharp rise in Covid cases. “The EU together with its Member States will do its utmost to support India in this difficult moment,” said Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan. Janez Lenarcic, the European Emergency Response Coordinator today informed that the EU has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism to help India with the COVID-19 crisis.
Several US lawmakers have also voiced their concerns and heaped pressure on the Biden administration to extend assistance, release vaccines and other raw materials critical for India. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday had said that the US is working closely with its partners in the Indian government to deploy more supplies and additional support.
Several other countries including Russia, Australia and Bhutan have extended support to India as it battles the deadly infection.