TEHRAN - The Iranian embassy in Berlin on Friday responded to the German health minister's claim that Tehran's actions against the Coronavirus are not transparent, saying that these remarks are more like an April fools’ joke.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn recently claimed that Iran Air flights had been canceled due to the high risk of Iran and lack of transparency in the fight against the Coronavirus. 

Iran's embassy in Germany on Friday issued a statement urging the minister to specify that his position and claim were based on which well-known and reliable international official or legal source.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) is the global overseer of disease control measures, which has appreciated the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fight against COVID-19, despite the harsh conditions of the sanctions against the Iranian nation,” the statement read.

The Iranian embassy in Germany stressed the need to lift the U.S. sanctions against Iran and the need for international cooperation to overcome the global crisis. 

"Certainly, the responsible and humane behavior and comments of nations and governments will be recorded in the historical memory of the people of the world,” the statement added.

According to the WHO, about 70 percent of victims of the Coronavirus and 50 percent of those infected with the virus belong to EU member states, led by Italy and Spain, and the European Union at large, followed by the United States.

Worldwide, the total number of infections recorded since the beginning of the outbreak reached more than 1,098,762. Some 228,923 people have recovered globally, while nearly 59,172 have died.

Despite being under "maximum pressure" campaign introduced by the Trump administration,  Iran has won the praise of the WHO for handling the Pandemic Coronavirus.

EM/PA