Other countries did not. I know that the President of Iran appealed to all countries, and first of all, to the United States of America that the inhuman sanctions must be lifted in pandemic. After all, the virus does not choose whether you are poor or rich, president or worker, it kills all. But state leaders still have not lifted the sanctions in a pandemic when humanity is at risk. This happens at a time when people are dying.

For some reason, the UN is silent.
-I never heard anyone saying anything like this. But some people should think alike. Could it be some politicians of our sovereign countries?
- I recall New York in 1994, when I proposed some action in the UN. At that time, everyone told me: "Yes, Kirsan, you are right, this must be done." But then they immediately added: “But this is crazy, we cannot do this.” I insisted: “This is quite natural. You do not want your neighbour or your friend to be murdered. So, after you are elected to parliament, peers and ministers, why do you make promises and talk about democracy?
The most important right is the right to life. Let us appreciate the life that the Lord gave us. That is, on the one hand, everyone said that I was right, and on the other hand, they said that it was crazy. 26 years have passed, and we are all in the same place. So, I think, it is no coincidence that this little coronavirus appeared. It urged us to think it over. And now all presidents, leaders of countries are sitting at home, so probably does the UN Secretary General. I don’t know if he will make up his mind to say to everyone: “Let's get together and ask all the leaders of the states to sign a Declaration, which would state that we should not produce weapons but medicines.”
- Still, it looks like you are offended by the United States, Kirsan Nikolaevich.
- No, I am not. Mu words are the words of a normal person. Still, the US is a superpower and it has a nuclear bomb. By the way, they dropped a bomb on civilians of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and millions of people died there, just like that, for no reason. But if you are so smart, so great, then set an example and stop all sanctions. You know that I myself am under sanctions. In 2015, the US Treasury included me in the sanctions list because I visited Syria, held tournaments there, met with businessmen. I was accused of allegedly selling some kind of oil, although I had nothing to do with this oil. And so they included me in the sanctions list. If you are great and powerful, if you have a nuclear bomb in your pocket, then consider others. Spend your money not to sell missiles and bombs to African and other countries. Donate your books, your culture, create free libraries, conduct chess tournaments and transfer medicines to the same African countries.
- Kirsan Nikolaevich, how do you feel about the pandemic? How much do you fear coronavirus? Did you check yourself after you flew in from Tehran? Do you generally monitor your health?
- Of course. The last time I was abroad was on 23 February. I flew from Abu Dhabi. I immediately put myself on isolation although no viruses were detected.
And everyone must decide how to protect oneself. You are your own boss. I just urge everyone to stay home. We can only protect ourselves. And in order not to go crazy with loneliness, you need to improve yourself, do physical education and sports. This can be done at home.
And the most important thing is, of course, not the body, but the soul and mind. Now we have the time to clean our thoughts and think about the positive.
Or read prayers. Just yesterday, they sent me an advice from the elders of Athos: I need to pray and wipe the door handles... The Dalai Lama has also appealed to everyone: "Let's pray." Can you imagine how small our Earth is? Some blue dot in space. And if out of the seven billion inhabitants of the Earth at least one billion at the same time thinks about the positive, then our Earth will have light.
And the Lord will see that such a white glow comes from the Earth among the billion billion stars. And if the eye of the Lord turns in our direction for at least a second then we will have happiness and prosperity. I think that then all viruses will pass, and we will learn how to love and value each other.