Imam Khamenei Highlights West’s Failure amid COVID-19 Battle

By Staff, Agencies

Leader of Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei said the western countries have failed in three areas during the fight against the novel coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

“The West has failed in management, social philosophy and morality amid the coronavirus battle,” Imam Khamenei said on Monday while addressing the session of Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters through video-conference.

“The Westerners and Westernized ones want to hide this failure, but the issue must be carefully addressed since making important decisions for nations’ future entails awareness about such problems,” His Eminence added.

Imam Khamenei referred to the poor management of the governments of some western countries, saying: “Coronavirus emerged in the United States and Europe later than in other countries, meaning they had the opportunity to prepare for combatting the virus, but they failed to do so. This is proved by the high number of deaths and high rates of unemployment in the United States and some European countries.”

He also pointed to the failing “social philosophy of the West” amid the pandemic, noting that “the West’s social philosophy is based on materialism and money, which is why they have been so disrespectful to the elderly, the sick, and the homeless amid the coronavirus outbreak because these groups are incapable of making money and creating materialism.”

“Many have died in nursing homes, revealing the failure of Western social philosophy,” Imam Khamenei underscored.

Further in his remarks, Imam Khamenei said western societies have also failed in “showing public morality” during the pandemic.

"Westerners have failed in all their claims, and these facts must be explained to the public," he said, referring to attacks on shops and other cases that happened in some countries after the pandemic spread in those societies.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Imam Khamenei expressed gratitude to the Iranian people’s struggle in combating the coronavirus pandemic, saying such efforts are “truly amazing and honorable”.

"I want to thank those active in fighting corona, those who are working day and night. Secondly, I would like to thank God, the Exalted, due to the great success of the Iranian nation and the officials in combating this disease."

His Eminence added: "I give my condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones due to the coronavirus anywhere in the world. We pray for all those afflicted by this disease and ask God to grant elevated ranks to the health professionals who were martyred fighting this virus."

Over 4.1 million people around the world have contracted the novel coronavirus, of whom more than 280,000 have died and 1,447,000 have recovered from the disease.

Iran has registered 107,603 cases of the disease, with the death toll standing at 6,640 as of Sunday.