Tasnim – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman deplored US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was ending US ties with the World Health Organization amid the global fight against COVID-19, saying that Washington has been “seeking a scapegoat to hide its debacle”.

“In the new chapter of its withdrawal series, & amid a pandemic that has rattled the world, the US terminates its relationship w/ @WHO. After failing its people, this irresponsible regime has been seeking a scapegoat to hide its debacle. But blame games didn't & won't fool the world,” Seyed Abbas Mousavi said in a tweet on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump accused the WHO of becoming essentially a “puppet” organization of China and announced his decision to end relationship with the UN health body over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving, urgent global public health needs," Trump said.

Trump had earlier threatened to permanently stop funding the WHO and withdraw from the UN agency unless it makes "major substantive improvements within the next 30 days,” without detailing the improvements.