IN THE DARK

Pompeo: Iran Is Hiding True Extent of Coronavirus Outbreak

Officially, the Iranian government has reported 388 confirmed cases and 34 related deaths.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the U.S. has offered Iran help with its worsening coronavirus outbreak—but accused the Islamic republic of hiding the true extent of the problem. Pompeo appeared at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Friday morning to answer questions about Iran. Asked about what the U.S. has done to help the outbreak there—which, officially, amounts to 388 confirmed cases and 34 related deaths—Pompeo responded: “We have made offers to the Islamic Republic of Iran to help.” However, he went on to cast doubt on the official Iranian government figures, saying: “Their healthcare infrastructure is not robust and to date, their willingness to share information about what’s really going on inside of Iran has not been robust and I am very concerned that it is Iran that is not sharing information.” Iran cancelled the main Friday prayers in dozens of cities for the first time in decades. The death toll in Iran is by far the highest outside China, and the World Health Organization has warned that the outbreak may be worse than has been admitted.