Iran says it has asked IMF for $5bn emergency funding to fight coronavirus

• Kristalina Georgieva has stated that countries affected by COVID-19 will be supported via Rapid Financial Instrument.
• Our Central Bank requested access to this facility immediately, Zarif said.

DUBAI: Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for emergency funding to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak, which has hit the Islamic Republic hard, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Thursday.

The IMF managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, "has stated that countries affected by #COVID19 will be supported via Rapid Financial Instrument. Our Central Bank requested access to this facility immediately", Zarif said.

IMF's @KGeorgieva has stated that countries affected by #COVID19 will be supported via Rapid Financial Instrument. Our Central Bank requested access to this facility immediately.

IMF/IMF Board should adhere to Fund's mandate, stand on right side of history & act responsibly.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) March 12, 2020

Iran's Central Bank chief Abdolnaser Hemmati wrote on his Instagram page that "in a letter addressed to the head of IMF, I have requested five billion U.S. dollar from the RFI emergency fund to help our fight against the coronavirus".