Both Iran and the United States are fighting a common enemy in the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the two sides are continuing actions meant to pressure each other. At first, Iran appeared to be losing the battle to contain COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Now, the Iranian government is seeking to use its struggles with the disease to influence international opinion on U.S. sanctions against Iran. The government has asked for $5 billion from the International Monetary Fund, IMF. Yet the country continues to break the rules of its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers. The United States withdrew from the deal in 2018 under President Donald Trump.