Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei said Sunday his country would never accept any aid to fight the novel coronavirus from arch-enemy and “charlatans” the United States, as Tehran announced 129 new deaths. Iran has been one of the countries worst hit by the COVID-19 illness along with Italy, Spain and China, and the latest fatalities raised the official death toll to 1,685, the health ministry said. US President Donald Trump — who has imposed sanctions and a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran over its nuclear programme — said on February 29 that Washington was ready to help Iran fight the virus if its leaders requested it.