MEMO columnist Mahan Abedin dies of covid in Iran

MEMO freelance columnist Mahan Abedin died of coronavirus in Iran on Friday night at the age of 45.

The Iranian-born British journalist and author tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

Born in 1976, Abedin gained his MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics (LSE) in 2000. He went on to author Iran Resurgent: The Rise and Rise of the Shia State in 2019.

His colleagues and followers paid tribute to him on social media, many describing Abedin as a “hardworking”, “excellent analyst”, adding that this would be “a big loss to journalism fraternity in Iran”.  MEMO extends its heartfelt sympathy and condolences to his family. He will be remembered with great fondness and admiration.

RIP Mahan, sympathies to his friends and family, a unique character with a brilliant mind who understood the geopolitical landscape on a macrosopic level as well as economics and challenges facing west asia @HashemiMarzi

— LΞΞ Griƒƒiths (@DrumEQ) August 21, 2021

This is very sad. He was an excellent analyst; may he rest in peace.

— kashley (@Kashley57) August 22, 2021

Others added that his death should push people to take the covid “virus seriously!”

Coronavirus infection and death rates in the Islamic Republic have hit record highs in Iran this month, which has now registered more than 4.5 million cases of the virus and over 100,000 fatalities.

The rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the past weeks has forced Iran’s rulers to permit imports of vaccines made by US and British companies, which Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had forbidden in January.

Social media users inside and outside Iran have accused the Islamic Republic’s clerical establishment of being slow to vaccinate people – only about five million of the 83 million population have been fully inoculated.

Iranian authorities have blamed US sanctions for problems in procuring foreign vaccines and delays in deliveries.

READ: Iran records highest single-day COVID-19 deaths, infections