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Viral Exposure

Viral Exposure: Iran

Iran

BBC Radio 4 - Viral Exposure, Iran

Sickness strikes the government even as it tries to reassure people

Sickness strikes the government even as it tries to reassure people. How sanctions, protests and a flirt with war shaped Tehran's response.

How the coronavirus crisis has exposed fissures and faultlines in nations around the world. COVID-19 arrived in Iran on the heels of a tumultuous few months that had strained trust in officials. A fuel-price hike prompted in part by tough US sanctions drove people onto the streets. A media blackout ensued during which time the government responded with lethal force. The domestic crisis was followed by an international one when Iran mistakenly shot down a passenger airliner. Protests in the wake of that tragedy had just died down when the virus took hold. Hear what the official Iranian response reveals about its attitude to its own people and the outside world.

Presenter: Neal Razzell
Producer: Anna Meisel

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How the coronavirus crisis has exposed fissures and faultlines in nations around the world

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