The Islamic Republic's contradictory policy to combat Corona continues; the "Doctors Without Borders" team was expelled from Iran

Following opposition from a number of figures close to and supportive of the Islamic Republic's leader, a Health Ministry official announced that the presence of the Doctors Without Borders team to combat the coronavirus in Iran has been ruled out.

Alireza Vahabzadeh, advisor to the Minister of Health, announced in a message on Twitter on Monday, April 25, that "with the implementation of the national mobilization plan to confront Corona and the use of the full medical capacity of the armed forces," there is no need to use the capacity of foreign forces and the presence of Doctors Without Borders in Iran is ruled out.

This is while the Doctors Without Borders team arrived in Iran from France in recent days and announced on Sunday that it is building a 50-bed emergency center in Iran to care for acute cases of the new coronavirus.

MSF also added that a nine-member intensive care medical team from the charity will operate at the center, located on the grounds of Amin Hospital in Isfahan province.

The announcement of no need for Doctors Without Borders' assistance comes at a time when the Islamic Republic's authorities had in recent days called for international assistance to combat the spread of the coronavirus, and in response to this request, a number of countries and international organizations sent several shipments of medical and therapeutic aid to Iran.

It seems that the announcement of no need for the help of Doctors Without Borders is a response to criticism from conservatives, including Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the Kayhan newspaper, who criticized the presence of this group, citing the close relationship between France and the United States.

Doctors Without Borders is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in France.

Source: Voice of America