Other Iranian figures also called on the U.S. to focus its military efforts on battling COVID-19. "Instead of bullying others today, Americans must do their best to save those who are infected with the coronavirus," Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told the Iranian Students' News Agency, while parliamentary National Security Committee member Alaeddin Boroujerdi told the outlet Trump "wants to divert public opinion from the internal crisis of the United States and the shortcomings in various fields."
Any new U.S. attack "would receive a greater response than Ayn al-Asad," Boroujerdi warned, referring to the U.S.-operated Iraqi base struck with a barrage of Iranian missiles in retaliation for the U.S. slaying of Revolutionary Guard Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani
at Baghdad International Airport in January.