Welcome to pushback. I'm Aaron Mate. Iran Maita. Iran is one of the countries most devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has the Middle East's highest rate of per capita infections, and the death toll is rising.

A new study from the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran warns of an unspeakable catastrophe.

It projects infections will not peak until late May and estimates the death toll could

reach as high as 3.5 million people. U.S. sanctions on Iran have played a devastating

role during the pandemic, preventing the import of vital medical

equipment. Yet, instead of dropping the sanctions on Iran, the Trump administration is adding

new ones. They've got a terrible problem there, and we want that humanitarian medical health

care assistance to get to the people of Iran. But the sanctions themselves, no movement.

We are working to do all the things we've had in place for the first three years here

to deliver security for the American people.

They know the answer.

Iran. They know the answer, Iran.

The leaders, they know the answer to your question.

Well, to discuss the impact of U.S. sanctions on the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, I spoke earlier to

Assel Rod, Research Fellow at the National Iranian-American Council.

Assel, welcome to pushback. Can you give us an overall layout of how the pandemic is ravaging Iran right now

and how U.S. sanctions are making it worse?

Well, sanctions created an atmosphere that combined with something like this new virus,

right, something that human beings have no immunity to. We're seeing how it's devastating different places in the world.

Italy, obviously China being the original epicenter.

But Iran was particularly set up for failure, partially of course, because of the mismanagement

...