In this photo released by the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a tree planting ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Iran's supreme leader put the Islamic Republic on war footing Tuesday against the new coronavirus by ordering its armed forces to assist health officials in combating the outbreak — the deadliest outside of China — that authorities say has killed 77 people. (Office of the Iranian Su…
March 22, 2020
Stories this photo appears in:
March 22, 2020 3:03 a.m.
Iran leader refuses US help, citing virus conspiracy theory
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader refused U.S. assistance Sunday to fight the new coronavirus, citing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by America.