WASHONGTON, United States — The
World Bankhas approved $90 million in additional financing for Iran, to help fight
against the
COVID-19 pandemic, a spokesperson said Friday.
اضافة اعلان
The Washington-based development lender's
board of directors approved the aid on December 21, a World Bank spokesperson
said, which "will be utilized only for procuring additional lifesaving,
essential medical equipment to strengthen Iran's pandemic response."
"This funding will not go to the
Iranian budget and all loan proceeds, as well as procurement and disbursements,
are being managed by the World Health Organization," the spokesperson
said.
The World Bank had in May 2020 extended
Tehran $50 million via the Iran COVID-19 Emergency Response Project, which the
spokesperson said was carried out "on an exceptional basis" due to
the pandemic.
The spokesperson called Iran "the
epicenter of COVID-19 infections in the region" and said quelling the
virus there would benefit its neighbors, particularly as the Omicron variant
threatens to cause a new wave of cases.
"World Bank support for Iran's COVID-19
response will help mitigate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country as
well as limit the spread of the disease beyond its borders," the
spokesperson said.
Iran has suffered nearly 132,000 deaths from
COVID-19 and more than 6.2 million cases, according to data from
Johns Hopkins University.
The World Bank spokesperson noted that
"distribution and installation of equipment will take place at health
facilities approved by the World Bank and will be subject to independent
monitoring and verification."
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