Iran says U.S. sanctions "more dangerous" than COVID-19

The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Saturday said "sanctions are more dangerous to international security than COVID-19," Tasnim news agency reported.

Ali Shamkhani questioned the sincerity of the United States in its offer to help the Islamic republic to contain the novel coronavirus, urging the United States to firstly lift its sanctions against Iran.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said his country had offered Iran assistance in the fight against the coronavirus.

In a reaction, Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed Pompeo's remarks as "hypocritical and deceitful propaganda."

Iran's Health Ministry announced on Saturday that the number of people who died from the coronavirus in the country has risen to 145 as the total number of confirmed cases stands at 5,823.