EU to give €20 million to aid sanctions-hit Iran in coronavirus fight
The European Union will send €20 million in humanitarian aid to Iran, which is subject to US sanctions, to help alleviate the coronavirus outbreak, and will support Tehran's request for IMF financial help, France 24 reported, citing the EU's top diplomat.
"We've not been able to provide a lot of humanitarian help but there is some €20 million in the pipeline ... that we expect to be delivered over the next weeks," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a video news conference on Monday.
"We also agree in supporting the request by Iran and also by Venezuela to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to have financial support," he said after a video conference of EU foreign ministers, although he did not give more details.
Iran is the Middle Eastern nation worst hit by the coronavirus. The country's death toll increased Monday to 1,812, including 127 new deaths in the past 24 hours, a health ministry spokesman told state TV on Monday, adding that the country's total number of infected people has reached 23,049.
Related news
- Coronavirus: WHO head says countries need to attack as pandemic is accelerating
- COVID-19: UN chief calls for global ceasefire to focus on ‘the true fight of our lives’
- China renders 30 tons of anti-coronavirus donations to Iran