Contradictory Statements by Iran's Health Minister Regarding Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Treatment Process

Iran's Minister of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education reacted to the fallout from his comments suggesting a possible 'shortcoming' in the treatment process of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, stating that the late head of the Expediency Council 'had no interest in having a medical team.' On Sunday, January 19, shortly after the announcement of Rafsanjani's death, Qazizadeh had mentioned the possibility of 'shortcomings' in his treatment process. He reported that, according to what he was told, there was apparently no medical team accompanying Rafsanjani, which may have led to a 'shortcoming' in this regard. Qazizadeh added that a medical team should accompany 'personalities,' but when Rafsanjani suffered a cardiac issue, the opportunity was lost due to the absence of a medical team. He officially announced the cause of Rafsanjani's death as 'cardiac arrest.' Qazizadeh stated that there was a 'delay' both in diagnosing the 'cardiac arrest' and in getting Rafsanjani to the hospital. He further noted, 'When {Rafsanjani} arrived at the hospital, unfortunately, he had none of the cardiac or respiratory symptoms, and resuscitation efforts were ineffective.' The Minister of Health added, 'I asked and found out that despite the need for a medical team to accompany personalities, there was no medical team with him, and even if there had been, they could not have done anything.' After the reflection of these statements in Persian-language media inside and outside Iran, this cabinet member of Hassan Rouhani harshly criticized Persian-language media abroad on Tuesday, January 20. In response to a question from a reporter from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting regarding the 'counter-revolutionaries' exploiting his statements about the absence of a medical team accompanying personalities, he said, 'They were wrong.' The Minister of Health added that 'there was no room for any doubt, and the reasons for Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani's death are completely clear.' Iraj Harirchi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, also stated that Rafsanjani 'would not have benefited from any actions even if he had been in the hospital.' The head of the Expediency Council passed away on Sunday evening at the age of 82 due to a cardiac issue at the 'Martyrs' Hospital in Tajrish, Tehran. Mohammad Aghajani, Deputy for Treatment at the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, also announced on Tuesday that 'Rafsanjani had a history of heart problems.' Aghajani added that 'Rafsanjani was in good mental and physical condition, but at 82 years old, the possibility of a heart attack is not far-fetched.' In this context, the cause of Rafsanjani's death was announced as 'cardiac arrest.'