Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, on SARS-CoV-2

The command to the Armed Forces to establish a Medical Base to fight Coronavirus

The Commander-in-Chief’s order to the Armed Forces due to the increased likelihood of the Coronavirus being a biological attack
The Decree of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces on the fight against Corona:

Establish a health and treatment base to organize services for people

Imam Khamenei, the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, issued a decree to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Bagheri, praising the Armed Forces’ services to the people in the fight against the Coronavirus. In emphasizing the need to organize these services into the form of a “Health and Treatment Base” for preventing the spread of the disease, his Eminence stated, “This measure may also be regarded as a biological defense exercise and add to our national sovereignty and power given the evidence that suggests the likelihood of this being a “biological attack.”

The text of the decree of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution is as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful (emphasis added by me, the Saker)
Major General Bagheri,
With appreciation for the services that the Armed Forces have provided to the dear people so far in the fight against Coronavirus, and with emphasis on the need to continue and expand these services, it is necessary to organize these services into a Health and Treatment Base In addition to treating the sick and establishing medical centers such as field hospitals, places of quarantine, etc., the spread of the disease should also be prevented using the necessary methods. The division of duties and missions of the organizations and departments of the Armed Forces is one of the tasks of this Base. This Base must work in full coordination with the government and the Ministry of Health.
This measure may also be regarded as a biological defense exercise and add to our national sovereignty and power given the evidence that suggests the likelihood of this being a “biological attack.”
It is hoped that with divine guidance and the special support of Imam Mahdi (‘a.j.), the Iranian nation will always be victorious, safe and sound.

Sayyid Ali Khamenei
March 13, 2020

source: http://english.khamenei.ir/news/7423/The-command-to-the-Armed-Forces-to-establish-a-Medical-Base-to