DUBAI: Iran on Friday paraded disinfection vehicles, mobile hospitals and other medical equipment to mark its national Army Day as the country’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 89 to 4,958.
The total number of cases of infection in the Middle East country hardest hit by the pandemic rose to 79,494, of which 3,563 were in critical condition, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said on state television.
A parliamentary report released earlier this week said the coronavirus death toll might be almost double the figures announced by the Health Ministry, and the number of infections eight to 10 times more given a lack of widespread testing.
Friday’s small “Defenders of the Homeland, Helpers of Health” army parade was held at a training center before a group of commanders in face masks to underscore the military’s role in battling the highly infections COVID-19 lung disease.
It was a far cry from the typical Army Day parades, which normally feature spectacles of infantry, missiles, submarines and armored vehicles, with warplanes flying overhead.
“Due to health and social protocols, it is not possible to hold a parade of soldiers ... The enemy now is hidden and doctors and nurses are (instead) at the frontlines of the battlefield,” President Hassan Rouhani said in a message to soldiers, disseminated by state media.
Army forces chief Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi thanked the more than 11,000 military medical staff fighting to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus in Iran, which has one of the world’s highest death tolls.
Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi warned earlier this week that infections could spread further in autumn.
“We have to get used to living with the virus until an appropriate medication or vaccination is found,” Harirchi said on state TV on Friday. A recent resumption of “low-risk” business activities “doesn’t mean that conditions have returned to normal,” he said, warning that the easing of restrictions could lead to increased infections.
So-called low-risk businesses — including many shops, factories and workshops — resumed operations on April 11 across the country, with the exception of the capital Tehran, where they will reopen from Saturday.
According to a recent opinion poll, 40 percent of residents in the greater Tehran region do not take the coronavirus seriously, the head of the government-led Coronavirus Taskforce of Tehran, Alireza Zali, said on Friday.
Iran says 89 virus deaths take total to 4,958
https://arab.news/y2fgv
Iran says 89 virus deaths take total to 4,958
- 40 percent of residents in the greater Tehran region do not take the coronavirus seriously
Jordan begins implementing Royal directives to modernize Arab Army
- On Saturday, it was reported that King Abdullah had announced the strategy
AMMAN: Jordan’s Armed Forces have begun implementing royal directives from King Abdullah II aimed at restructuring and modernizing the Arab Army to strengthen its operational readiness and ability to meet evolving security challenges, it was announced on Sunday.
The overhaul is designed to sharpen combat capabilities and establish a streamlined, flexible force equipped to operate across varied environments, while adapting to the demands of modern and unconventional warfare, the Jordan News Agency reported.
The directives called for closer alignment between organizational structures and operational needs, alongside upgrades to command, control and communications systems.
They also urged stronger integration across military branches and units, as well as expanded use of advanced technologies, including unmanned systems and cyber capabilities.
Plans also include reinforcing reserve forces, improving logistics to ensure reliable supply chains, and supporting Jordan’s defense industries to enhance self-sufficiency and efficiency.
In a statement, the Jordanian Armed Forces said they were fully committed to carrying out the royal directives as part of a broader strategic vision to raise professionalism and preparedness.
On Saturday, it was reported that King Abdullah had announced a strategy “to achieve a structural transformation in the armed forces over the course of the next three years,” Petra said.
In a letter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the King wrote: “Our Arab Army is a national institution that every Jordanian is proud of.”
“We must examine the requirements for modernizing and developing our Armed Forces, while restructuring them to keep pace with combat demands within various environments of operation,” the king wrote.
The king also said the army must have sufficient reserve forces reinforced with the necessary capabilities.
“Our Armed Forces must have sufficient reserve forces, equipped with the various needed capabilities to execute their operations efficiently.”
