Publish Date: 3 March 2020 - 15:51

Lab experiments needed to prove COVID-19 as biological weapon: Jalali

TEHRAN, Mar. 03 (MNA) – Head of Iran's Passive Defense Organization Brigadier General Gholamreza Jalali said on Tuesday that despite the available evidence and analyses so far, more in-depth laboratory experiments need to be done to prove that the novel coronavirus was developed as a biological weapon.

"Laboratory studies must be conducted to compare the genomes of the original virus and its distorted version to prove any deliberate alterations made," Jalali said.

Answering a question about the rumors that the COVID-19 has been developed as a biological weapon to negatively impact the Iranian and Chinese nations, he said, "Evidence may prove the virus outbreak as a biological attack on Iranian and Chinese economy."

He referred to the propaganda campaigns led by enemies about the outbreak of coronavirus and exaggerating the number of its victims as a means to frighten the Iranian nation and reducing their morale.

MNA/FNA