Stating that some use coronavirus to their advantage by hiding masks and some hide behind masks to spread lies in society, President gave reassurance that the crisis will be overcome as soon as possible with the least casualties with the work of the country’s medical staff and people’s cooperation.

Speaking at the session of the cabinet on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani said:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

First of all, I would like to appreciate the wise decisions of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution and the Chairman of the Islamic Consultative Assembly for next year’s budget bill.

The Supreme Leader also allowed the issue of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad to be dealt with after the issue of protections needed to be made regarding coronavirus.

I would like to thank the entire great Iranian nation in this special situation for helping us keep calm and hopeful, so that we will be able to overcome this issue with patience.

This disease is a widespread one. It encompasses almost all of our provinces and is, in a sense, a global disease that many countries in the world have become infected with, and we must work together to tackle this problem as quickly as possible.

The issue of public health is important to us, and all efforts are made to ensure that the people, our parents, our mothers, our young people, and the elderly and the sick, who are most exposed to the virus, are able to put the matter behind us.

But alongside that, the mental security of the society is also very important. Unfortunately today, despite the majority of our society and everyone working together to help overcome this problem, there are some who want to take advantage of this issue for their own financial gain.

On the other hand, there are also some active in the social and foreign media who hide behind the mask of compassion, but in fact they are spreading false news in order to spread anxiety in our society and make our people anxious.

Our dear and honourable people should be aware that the responsibility is entrusted to the Ministry of Health, but all organs are capable of pursuing parts of the affairs that are somehow related to them.

Doctors and nurses are at the forefront and have shown great dedication, and I thank them all for not failing to perform their duties and doing their utmost. There are some of them who are working round the clock with very short breaks; even the respected Minister of Health, who I usually contact daily, has not taken a rest for one week or two.

It is a heavy burden on all of us and I promise that the crisis will be overcome as soon as possible with the least casualties with the work of the country’s medical staff and people’s cooperation.

What is being done in hospitals today cannot be described and thanked with words, and in fact they must be rewarded by the Almighty.

Others are ready to help; today the Ministry of Health is at the forefront of this jihad, and many producers are working hard and working day by day for supplying the needs of the society.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development are in constant contact with their counterparts today to resolve the export-import issues.

I would like to say to our dear people that everyone is involved in this jihad; our forefront is the health authorities, and in the other fronts, everyone is working hard.

Just as the government has a duty to guard people’s health, it also has a duty to guard people's business, life and livelihood.

The worst thing is that the ill-wishers of Iran and Iranians are seizing the opportunity of the people's problem and the outbreak of a virus against the Iranian people and want to take peace and trust from the people.

Unfortunately, those who even imposed drugs and food sanctions on people have done the most vicious act against the Iranian people in these two years; they came up with a mask of compassion pretending to help the Iranian people; you had better lift the drug sanctions at least if you're really right.

Our people know very well that you are lying; you are not telling the truth; here I have to thank all the governments and countries that have helped us and are ready to help us; they have sent equipment and are still ready for sending medicine and equipment to our country; I thank them all.

I urge IRIB to offer people happier programmes while people are more at home to protect their lives.

I urge all artists, scientists, psychologists and all who can bring smiles to people’s faces come into the social media; today words that make people tired are no longer advantageous.

My final point is that we have talked a lot about e-government and cyberspace and have said all the time that in the world that we need to make good use of cyberspace today; now the importance of this issue has become clearer. These days we want education with this cyberspace; these days we want businesses with cyberspace; we want to provide people with the materials they need and to buy and sell digitally; this itself must encourage us to move further.

We have to change some of our lifestyle in these conditions; today's banks have helped to make the most of the internet, so that people do not go to the banks and use their mobile and internet.

Cyberspace is a huge capacity, especially in this context; we must help each other and build our own e-government, further our digital communications and drive our economy towards a digital one.

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

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