At the very least, it's weird, because if they were prepared and saw what was happening in China, why didn't they react appropriately? If I wrote something about it, I'd probably go into conspiracy theories, so I'll refrain from that. Personally, I can only say that I do not think the virus accidentally hit China first, then Iran and then thousands of miles away Italy.
As for Italy, I have seen reports from their authorities that 40% of their citizens do not follow the rules and walk around as if nothing is happening (they track them by mobile phones), and in the same time almost 500 people die every day, which was also commented by the
Vice President of the Red Cross of China when he visited Italy recently. They still think that is some kind of joke...
individuals who downplay the lethality of the whole thing, because they've never experience such pandemic before. Just like how people can only relate from experience once they're exposed to it.
Recently in my country, despite a nationwide lockdown, there was a discussion whereby a few elderly men from a video circulated refused to leave a restaurant despite being informed until a few hours later.