Claim by Khamenei's Special Doctor: The Lancet Article on Mahsa Amini is an 'Insult to Healthcare Workers'

Alireza Marandi, a special physician for Ali Khamenei and head of the Academy of Medical Sciences, wrote a letter to the editor of the medical journal 'The Lancet' regarding the anniversary of Mahsa Amini, calling the article 'incorrect and insulting to the healthcare community.' This article titled 'Mahsa Amini - Never Forget' was written by Richard Horton, the editor of The Lancet, addressing the killing of Mahsa under the accusation of violating the mandatory hijab law, the suppression of protests, and the internet shutdown by the government. Alireza Marandi, who served as Minister of Health during Hashemi Rafsanjani's presidency, was one of the signatories of a letter from '2,500 doctors' defending Khamenei's ban on Western vaccines and described the Barakat vaccine, produced by Shafafarmand, a subsidiary of the Imam's Executive Headquarters, as one of 'the best vaccines available in the world.' In this letter, written in December 2020 to then-President Hassan Rouhani, it was stated that 'mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna can have unknown and sometimes irreparable side effects.' Researchers from the US, UK, Australia, and Canada compared the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Iran with seven other countries similar in vaccine type (inactivated), income level, or population, concluding that if vaccination in Iran had been faster, tens of thousands of deaths could have been prevented. Dr. Kiarash Aramesh, one of the authors of this preface, stated in an interview with VOA that 'the interference of politics in health matters' was one of the significant reasons for the delay in COVID vaccination in Iran. He said, 'Civil society institutions were silent due to structural weakness, and some doctors acted unethically for political gain, writing letters in support of the vaccine ban, and not only were they not held accountable, but they also reached high positions in Ebrahim Raisi's government.' The Lancet has published several articles related to the ongoing protests 'Women, Life, Freedom' in Iran. On November 5, 2022, The Lancet reported on 'Iranian Doctors on the Frontlines of Protests,' highlighting the prominent presence of doctors in protests, their gatherings in front of the Medical System Building in Tehran, the resignation of the head and deputy head of the Medical System, pressure on healthcare staff in Iran, and the killing of at least one doctor in the protests. Marandi had also criticized this article with similar language. In his letter, Marandi claimed that The Lancet's article lacks 'scientific documentation,' criticized that 'The Lancet' did not publish anything about the impact of Western sanctions on the health of the people, and accused the editor of having 'material and political interests.' Meanwhile, The Lancet has published several studies conducted by Iranian doctors and researchers regarding the effects of sanctions, including on scientific publications in Iran in the medical field and global scientific collaborations. A US State Department spokesperson, during the peak of the COVID crisis in Iran, told VOA regarding the impact of sanctions on combating the COVID pandemic in Iran: 'We fully support the Iranian people in their fight against this devastating pandemic and have taken tangible steps to demonstrate this commitment by facilitating the import of COVID vaccines to Iran.' The spokesperson emphasized that in 2021, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued general licenses to provide broad options for use in transactions and activities related to COVID-19, stating that general licenses would be expanded based on humanitarian exemptions, exceptions, and long-term licenses in some of OFAC's sanction programs, which remain in effect, to cover transactions and activities related to COVID-19. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department also announced on September 18 the establishment of a channel in Qatar to further facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Iran in line with the longstanding US government support for humanitarian trade. OFAC stated that this channel, similar to humanitarian channels established in previous administrations, 'is designed to support the Iranian people's access to food, agricultural goods, medicine, and medical equipment under carefully considered measures that protect against money laundering, abuse, and evasion of US sanctions.' Dr. Attari: The Barakat vaccine and the import ban by Khamenei was a project playing with people's lives. The reflection of 'Mahsa's anniversary' in global media indicates that the movement is still alive. Ali Karimi's protest post for Minavand; the protests on November 25 'in love for Mehrdad' Minavand. New dual-capacity COVID-19 vaccines; a member of the National Coronavirus Committee in Iran: there is no need for a new vaccine. Washington Post: The Iranian government approved the unverified 'Barakat' vaccine amid COVID. Research results on vaccination in Iran; tens of thousands could have survived. COVID vaccines prevented the deaths of 20 million people worldwide. Confirmation of prison sentences for 'health seekers' for filing complaints against Ali Khamenei. Human Rights Watch called for the annulment of the 'unjust sentences' of health seekers and complainants against Khamenei.