TEHRAN – Astan-e Quds Razavi (a charitable trust which manages the Imam Reza holy shrine) sent 300 ventilators to India on Friday to help counter the coronavirus pandemic.

The devices are made in Iran and comply with the highest international standards, ILNA reported.

Ali Chegini, Iran's ambassador to New Delhi, said that “despite being imposed the most severe sanctions, Iran has fortunately reached a good stage in the production of high-tech medical equipment, and today could donate 300 high-quality ventilators to India.”

The donations have been dispatched to several hospitals, public and charitable treatment centers for coronavirus by the Iranian Embassy to India and the Indian Red Cross, he stated.

India is currently at the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic, as the nation has been hit by a devastating second wave, with more than 345,000 deaths - the third highest in the world.

The wave overwhelmed the healthcare system, with people struggling to get hospital beds, oxygen, and medicines and crematoriums ran out of space.

On April 25, Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki, in a letter to his Indian counterpart, expressed readiness to provide technical assistance, expertise, and equipment to contain coronavirus as new cases surge in India.

The government and people of Iran are ready not to withhold any technical, expert, and equipment assistance in these difficult days and help Indian citizens to curb the epidemic, he wrote.

FB/MG