On March 2, France, Germany and Britain pledged $5.6 million in financial aid to help the Iranian government fight the coronavirus. The so-called E3 countries also announced a delivery of medical equipment through the World Health Organization and other U.N. agencies. "France, Germany and the United Kingdom express their full solidarity with all impacted by COVID-19 in Iran," the countries said in a joint statement. "We are offering Iran a comprehensive package of both material and financial support to combat the rapid spread of the disease." The following are statements from European nations on Iran’s coronavirus outbreak.
E3 (Britain, France and Germany)
March 2, 2020, in a statement:
“France, Germany and the United Kingdom express their full solidarity with all impacted by COVID-19 in Iran. We are offering Iran a comprehensive package of both material and financial support to combat the rapid spread of the disease.
The material will be transported urgently by plane on March 2 and will include equipment for laboratory tests, as well as other equipment, including protective body suits and gloves.
The E3 has also committed to providing urgent additional financial support close to €5 million to fight the COVID-19 epidemic affecting Iran, through the WHO or other UN agencies.
We will continue to support global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19. Our support is directed to help the most vulnerable across the globe.”
Britain
On March 1, Britain’s Foreign Office announced that it would evacuate all non-essential staff from its embassy in Tehran. London also urged the Iranian government to protect British-Iranian nationals exposed to the virus in Tehran’s Evin Prison. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual national detained on espionage charges, suspected that she had contracted the virus but said that prison officials had refused to test her. On March 3, prison officials said that they had temporarily released Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
Foreign Office
March 1, 2020, in official statement:
“As of 1 March, dependants and some staff from the British Embassy are being withdrawn from Iran due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Essential staff needed to continue critical work will remain. In the event that the situation deteriorates further, the ability of the British Embassy to provide assistance to British nationals from within Iran may be limited.”
February 29, 2020, in an official statement:
“We are urgently seeking information from the Iranian authorities on reports that coronavirus is spreading in Evin prison, including to British-Iranian dual nationals.
We call on the Iranian government to immediately allow health professionals into Evin prison to assess the situation of British-Iranian dual nationals there.”
Germany
On February 28, the government announced that travelers from Iran must report their health status upon arrival. On March 2, German airline group Lufthansa suspended flights to Tehran until April 30.
European Union
March 23, 2020, in a press release
"Elsewhere countries like Venezuela or Iran may well collapse without our support. This means we should ensure they have access to IMF assistance. And with Iran, we need to make sure that legitimate humanitarian trade can proceed despite US sanctions."
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