The outbreak of Wuhan-originated Coronavirus instantly became the universal challenge with its global outreach. It does not matter what is the size of the state or how many resources does a state possess, either it belongs to global North or it is a part of global- South, every state in the world is trying to cope up with the said pandemic in their ways ranges from innovating vaccines to following the religious tactics. Not only the developed countries but also the undeveloped ones are also voluntarily helping others with aids and assistances in which the efforts of the United States, China and Pakistan are the prominent ones. While Iran, Cuba and Venezuela are to be listed in the list of those countries which are facing numerous challenges in the fight against the Corona Virus. Today, the major challenge, being facing by these countries, are United States’ sections on the Islamic Republic. Beside introducing new trends i.e. Online-education, work from home, the Corona Pandemic also questions the assumptions of the International Relations’ dominated school of thought i.e. Realism. This pandemic also reveals that the states cannot deal with the non-traditional security challenges with traditional-security weapons.
Recently, the United State imposed a new round of sanction named ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran to curb the latter’s nuclear, missile and regional activities. These new sections were imposed amid the out breaking of Coronavirus when other P5 members i.e. China and Russia were looking to remove the relief grants on sanctions to Iran to contain the Coronavirus within its territory. The United States argued that these sanctions would not interrupt the flow of basic humanitarian goods. Meanwhile, Trump administrations also blacklisted twelve companies based in the United Arab Emirates. China, Hong Kong and South Africa, in a charge of petrochemical trade with Iran. Today, The Iranian government and its civilians are solely stand in the fight against Coronavirus due to the economic punishments by the United States. The detailed analyses of the economic punishment on Iran, reveal many severe and systematic consequences which not only limit the Iranians’ access to the basic life commodities but also on the vital life-saving drugs.It is too early to declare the responsible(s) of the Pandemic, but the reports and the Chinese & Iranian’s officials are stating Trump’s administration main role behind it. Apparently, such claims are also been endorsed by the United States official’s statements.
To help the poor markets International Monetary fund (IMF) announced the aid package of 50 billion USD. According to IMF Director Kristilina Georgieva Kristilina Georgieva, the developing countries, power economies and emerging economies will be supported through Rapid Financial instrument, in their efforts to cope up with Coronavirus. Iran also requested for an emergency funding of 5 billion USD through Rapid Financial Investment. Iran also requested to suspend the US sanctions during the ongoing crises, in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guerres. Till now, no relief was granted to Iran, and as of today 20,610 Coronavirus’ cases have been reported in Iran, with the total death toll of 1500. According to the Iranian Health Ministry report, one-person dye in every ten minutes and 50 became infected every hour from the Corona Pandemic.
Iran is demonstrating a high mortality ration of 5.2% in the Corona Pandemic. it succumbed many Iranian government officials including Eskhak Jahangiri -the first Vice President of Iran, Iranian Vice President Masume Ebtekar,Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Advisor Ali Akbar Velayati Adviser, Member of the Council for Determining the Appropriateness of Decisions Mohammad Sad, Minister of Tourism, Cultural Heritage and Crafts Ali Asgar Munesan, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Mines Reza Rahmani. Such fatalities of high officials have not been reported by any other country. Moreover, Deputy Minister of HealthIraj Harirchi and the head of the Emergency Medical Service Pirhossein Kulivand are also included in the list of Corona affected individuals.
In the tough times, Pakistan is standing besides Iran. It is assisting and facilitating the Iranian. Islamabad is also advocating the sanctioned-Iran on the regional and international level as the Prime Minister Imran Khan urged to halt the imposed sanctions on Iran. Time to time, the western dominated media groups have been reporting about Pakistan’s less facilitation resources. Unfortunately. The true, on-time, humanisation efforts of Pakistan for the neighbour Iran are not been broadcasting. As the country is bearing severe challenges due to economic turmoil and the on-going Corona Pandemic, the political leadership is trying to manage the chaotic situation within the country and across the broader. The President Arif Alvi’s latest trip to China, the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement to halt the sanction on Iran and his efforts to accommodate the Iranian, stand the country aside to the global community on a humanitarian basis and exemplify the leaders’ visionary role of taking care of the nations across the borders. Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan’s efforts also been acknowledged by a internationally recognized investigating journalist Ben Norton in a tweet. He tweeted “Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan — the first independent leader in decades, and a voice for peace — has called on the US to lift its “unjust” sanctions on Iran, so it can focus on fighting the coronavirus pandemic”. Now the world has to understand that the pandemics do not limit to the borders only, it spreads beyond the border. So, the national across the globe need to help and support the other weaken states in the time of high pandemic crises.
