Iran's Daily Virus Infections Top 10,000

Iran's daily novel coronavirus infections crossed the 10,000 mark on Monday, the health ministry announced, setting a new record as fatalities remained close to their all-time high level.

The latest official figure of 10,463 positive Covid-19 cases in a 24-hour period comes only three days after the Islamic republic exceeded 9,000.

Iran's coronavirus caseload now stands at 692,949, the ministry said.

The virus also claimed 458 lives in the past day, raising the country's overall number of fatalities to 38,749.

The previous fatality record of 459 came on Sunday, according to official figures.

Iran recently imposed several rounds of short-lived restrictions across the country to contain the virus, but the rising deaths and infections have prompted calls by experts and officials for a full lockdown.

Tehran's governor Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey said on Monday that the lockdown proposal was no longer on the agenda as a new set of measures had since been unveiled, state news agency IRNA reported.

The measures, announced on Saturday and set to last a month from Tuesday, force the closure of non-essential businesses such as malls, small retailers, cinemas and gyms from 6:00 pm until the next morning.

It would apply to Tehran, provincial capitals and certain highly populated cities, according to the national anti-virus taskforce.

Iran has not imposed a full lockdown since it was hit by COVID-19 in February, with President Hassan Rouhani arguing the country's sanctions-hit economy cannot afford to be shut down for an extended period.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Reports Highest Virus Cases for Nearly a Month

Iran on Sunday reported its highest single-day novel coronavirus infection count in nearly a month, warning that most of its provinces have been hit by a resurgence of the disease.

Iran has been battling the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of COVID-19 since late February.

After a lull in deaths and infections from April to May, it now appears that the provinces first hit, including the holy city of Qom, are back in the same place as figures have been on the rise.

Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said that 2,685 more people had tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the country's highest single-day count since July 8.

This raises total cases identified since late February to 309,437, she added.

Another 208 people also died during the same period, bringing the overall toll to 17,190.

According to Lari, the situation is "concerning" in 25 out of Iran's 31 provinces.

"Sadly, since late June, daily infections have been on a rising trajectory" in Qom in central Iran, she said.

"We are concerned that trivializing the situation and lax observance of health protocols may lead to a worsening of the outbreak in the province."

Lari warned against travel to Mazandaran, a popular northern tourist resort at the vanguard of the outbreak where daily infections had more than quadrupled in the past six weeks.

Official figures show a marked increase in deaths and infections since the end of June.

As a result, mask-wearing was made compulsory in covered areas and provinces were given powers to reimpose restrictive measures.

Iranian media said that renowned Iranian filmmaker Khosro Sinai, 79, had died from the virus on Saturday.

Celebrated and awarded in numerous Iranian and international festivals, Sinai was the latest high-profile figure to succumb to COVID-19 in Iran following several government officials and politicians.

Photo: IRNA

Iran, UAE Top Diplomats Discuss Virus in Rare Talks

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he discussed the region's coronavirus outbreaks and other issues with his Emirati counterpart in rare talks held via a videoconference call on Sunday.

"Just had a very substantive, frank and friendly video conversation with UAE FM" Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Zarif wrote on Twitter.

"We agreed to continue dialogue on theme of hope -- especially as region faces tough challenges, and tougher choices ahead," he added.

According to UAE state news agency WAM, the top diplomats exchanged greetings for the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday and discussed efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.

Bin Zayed emphasised "enhancing international cooperation, solidarity and synergy between all countries" to tackle the virus, WAM said.

The UAE downgraded its relations with Iran in January 2016 amid fierce rivalry between close Emirati ally Saudi Arabia and the Islamic republic.

It came following the storming of Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran in response to Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Tensions between Tehran and Riyadh and its allies also increased last year following a series of mysterious attacks on tankers in sensitive Gulf waters, with Washington blaming them on Iran. Tehran denied the charges.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, the region's two leading powers, back opposing sides in several conflicts, including in Syria and Yemen.

Photo: IRNA

Virus-Hit Iran Warns Against Weddings and Funerals

Tehran on Monday warned Iranians against holding wedding and funeral gatherings as the country's novel coronavirus outbreak showed no signs of abating, claiming another 212 lives.

"Despite repeated calls to not hold weddings and mourning ceremonies, reports from across the country still indicate they are taking place," said health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari.

"The presence of people at these overcrowded events increases the risk of mass infection," she added, in remarks aired on state television.

While there is no nationwide ban on weddings and funerals, the venues in which they are staged have been ordered shut and authorities have repeatedly urged people to keep such gatherings small.

 The Islamic republic has been battling to contain the Middle East's deadliest novel coronavirus outbreak since announcing its first cases on February 19.

Lari said another 212 people had died of the COVID-19 illness in the past 24 hours, bringing the country's overall death toll since February to 15,912.

She added that 2,434 new infections during the same period took the total case load to 293,606.

Government spokesman Ali Rabiei has also tested positive for the novel coronavirus, state news agency IRNA reported on Monday.

Rabiei had been "resting at home since late last week after showing some symptoms" but has since been hospitalized, IRNA added.

He is the latest high-profile Iranian official to contract the novel coronavirus. Several have died but most have recovered.

Virus-related deaths and infections in Iran have risen to record highs since hitting months-long lows in May.

That has prompted authorities to make masks mandatory in enclosed public spaces and reimpose restrictions in some areas.

Photo: IRNA

Confusion And Fear as Iran Says Millions May Have Virus

By Amir Havasi

President Hassan Rouhani's recent announcement that 25 million Iranians may have been infected with the coronavirus, a figure drastically higher than the country's official tally, has left many perplexed and fearful.

The shock statement came five months after Iran announced its first COVID-19 cases: the deaths of two people in the Shiite holy city of Qom.

It was compounded by Rouhani's suggestion his government was now hoping to overcome the Middle East's worst outbreak via herd immunity.

"Our estimate is that up to now 25 million Iranians have been infected with this virus," Rouhani told a virus taskforce meeting on Saturday.

Citing the results of a health ministry study, he warned that "30 to 35 million more may face infection" in the future and added that Iran had "not yet achieved herd immunity".

The number is far higher than the 15 million cases recorded worldwide and significantly more than some hard-hit countries such as the United States and Brazil.

It was also nearly 100 times worse than Iran's official infection figure of over 270,000 cases issued at the time by the health ministry.

Iran's toll has continued to climb since, with the virus having officially claimed 221 lives between Wednesday and Thursday, while infections climbed by 2,621.

Since he announced Saturday's massively elevated estimates, Rouhani has not mentioned them again, let alone elaborated.

But a slew of officials have since come up with their own explanations, with some saying the 25 million does not refer to full-blown infection cases but to all those who were "exposed" to COVID-19 and may now have a level of immunity.

'Strategic Mistake'

Iran's deputy health minister for research and technology said the figure was an estimate based on research carried out in March "on about 10,000 people in 13-14 provinces".

"It's been proven so far that these people's immunity is stable, meaning that they are like those vaccinated," Reza Malekzadeh told state news agency IRNA on Monday.

He did not name the provinces where this testing had taken place. Iran's population is more than 80 million.

A second deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi, said in a television interview that the figure of 25 million had been derived from serology tests.

Such tests are for antibodies and detect whether an individual has been exposed to any type of coronavirus, not just COVID-19, he said on Tuesday.

"In Iran and the world, various studies have been done on COVID-19 and the 25 million is the result of one such study and should not be seen as anything more than that," he said.

Raisi also denied Iran was now seeking to overcome the virus through herd immunity.

"Herd immunity is in no way part of (Iran's) policy and countries that have done it eventually regretted doing so," he said.

"There will be no immunity until we have a vaccine."

Responding to a suggestion that mentioning such figures and herd immunity may alarm the public, Raisi said in a veiled criticism that "emphasizing such numbers is a strategic mistake".

Yet according to Dr Emma Hodcroft, a molecular epidemiologist at the University of Basel, the estimate of "a country-wide seropositivity rate of 30 percent, from numbers given, would be far, far higher than we've found in any other country."

In an email to AFP, she noted that numbers that high were only found in "very hard-hit areas" like New York city, which is much smaller and more densely populated than Iran.

Hodcroft also warned against extrapolating numbers from antibody tests to the whole population, especially if they were done in very hard-hit areas of the country.

'Frightening'

Many on Tehran's streets appeared confused or disturbed by the president's statistics and complained of not having received an explanation.

"The way Mr. Rouhani put it, this means almost the whole population of Iran" have been or will be infected, said a 50-year-old businessman who only gave his name as Ashrafi.

"So, observing health protocols has been for nothing?" he added, saying the numbers were "frightening".

He also complained that Health Minister Said Namaki should have been the one who explained the figures and any move toward herd immunity.

Ashkan Daliri, a hairdresser in his 20s, said he believed the numbers to be real and "a bit scary".

He said he thought the announcement was meant to make "the people face reality so that they would be scared into observing health protocols more".

He added that herd immunity might be an effective way to control the outbreak, even though "it would mean more people would die".

An art teacher named Rezayi said she did not believe the numbers were actually so high.

"And even if they are, it's still hard to accept them given how the president has denied his statements before," she said.

She was referring to a comment Rouhani made days after the start of Iran's outbreak in February, when he said "everything will return to normal" within a few days.

Having come under criticism for seemingly trying to normalize the crisis, the government's spokesman later said that Rouhani meant a return to normal decision-making procedures by state bodies.

Photo: IRNA

Emirates Resumes Iran Flights After Five-Month Break

Dubai-based Emirates airlines resumed flights to the Iranian capital on Friday after a five-month break due to shutdowns to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Iran, the worst-hit country in the Middle East, has been scrambling to contain the pandemic since it reported its first two COVID-19 deaths in February.

Neighboring countries imposed travel curbs and strict quarantine measures after the first cases of their own days later, mostly in travelers with links to Iran.

The 16 passengers on the Emirates flight from Dubai passed through a disinfection tunnel and had their body temperature checked upon arrival at Tehran's airport.

In the departures lounge, masked outgoing passengers lined up at the Emirates check-in counter while an airport worker disinfected dozens of luggage trolleys.

The United Arab Emirates was among a list of countries that suspended all air links with Iran in February, along with nearby Armenia, Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey.

The UAE, of which Dubai is a member, is a key international transit route for Iranians and had daily flights to Iran.

"My colleagues and I screened the passengers for symptoms with interviews and we also have thermal sensors," said Nadia Piri, one of the airport's resident doctors.

Passengers had to fill in forms on arrival, Piri said, and would have to self-isolate for 14 days.

Airport deputy head Mohammadreza Karimian said a number of airlines have asked to resume flights to Iran.

"Different airlines have made requests, considering that we observe all health protocols throughly," he said, without naming them.

Photo: Wikicommons

Rouhani Says 35 Million Iranians Face Virus Infection

President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday that 35 million Iranians may contract the coronavirus, as the country still did not have herd immunity although a quarter of the population may have already been infected.

It appears to be the first time a senior Iranian official has indicated the country is seeking to defeat COVID-19 via herd immunity.

The virus has killed more than 588,000 people and infected nearly 14 million around the world since first being detected in China late last year.

Iran has been battling a resurgence of COVID-19, with figures showing a rise in both new infections and deaths since a two-month low in May.

On Saturday, the health ministry reported another 188 coronavirus deaths and 2,166 cases of infection in the past 24 hours.

That took the overall toll to 13,979 dead out of 271,606 cases since Iran reported its first cases in mid-February.

The rising toll has prompted authorities to reimpose restrictions in worst-hit provinces after being lifted country-wide in April, with Tehran extending them for an extra week on Friday.

"Our estimate is that up to now, 25 million Iranians have been infected with this virus," Rouhani said during a televised meeting of the country's virus-fighting taskforce.

"We have to consider the possibility that 30 to 35 million more may face infection," he added, citing the results of a study by the health ministry.

"We have not yet achieved herd immunity and we have no choice but to be united and break the chain of transmission of the coronavirus."

Rouhani's deputy head of communications, Alireza Moezi, said on Twitter hours later that the 25 million in fact refers to "those who have encountered the virus and achieved complete immunity".

Rouhani also said that Iran may have to prepare itself for double the amount of hospitalizations it has had in the past five months, according to the study.

The study shows that "out of every 1,000 infected, 500 show no symptoms" Rouhani added, warning that they present the main challenge by "spreading more virus and over a longer period" than those identified.

The health ministry does not report the overall amount of hospitalizations over COVID-19.

The Islamic republic has been struggling to contain the Middle East's worst COVID-19 outbreak since announcing its first cases in mid-February.

Iran has refrained from imposing full lockdowns but closed schools, cancelled public gatherings and banned travel between provinces in March, before lifting the restrictions the next month to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Says Virus Death Toll Tops 13,000

Iran reported on Monday more than 200 new coronavirus fatalities that took the overall toll in the Middle East's deadliest outbreak beyond 13,000.

"Unfortunately, in the past 24 hours, we have lost 203 of our compatriots due to the COVID-19 disease," said health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari.

"Based on this figure, the total number of victims has reached 13,032," she told a televised news conference.

Lari said another 2,349 people had tested positive for the virus, raising the overall figure in the country's outbreak to 259,652.

Iran has been struggling to contain the virus since announcing its first cases in February—two deaths in the Shiite holy city of Qom.

The Islamic republic has refrained from enforcing full lockdowns to stop the pandemic's spread.

Official figures have shown an upward trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

The Iranian government made the wearing of masks compulsory in closed public spaces from July 4, including on public transport.

State television, whose presenters now wear masks, said on Monday that police in Tehran were stopping commuters without masks from entering the subway.

Authorities in Qom tightened controls in banks and administrative offices to ensure the implementation of health protocols, including mask-wearing, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

The health ministry spokeswoman called on everyone to keep a physical distance from others, to wash their hands and to use masks.

"The more time you spend in an overcrowded environment, the more likely you are to contract the disease," Lari said.

Iran closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but progressively lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

The economy is suffering under the pressures of the health crisis.

The country's currency, the rial, has hit new lows against the US dollar in recent weeks, mostly over border closures and a halt in non-oil exports, according to analysts.

Photo: IRNA

Iran's Khamenei Urges Fight Against 'Tragic' Virus Resurgence

Iran's supreme leader Sunday called the resurgence of the novel coronavirus in the country "truly tragic" and urged all citizens to help stem what has been the region's deadliest outbreak.

"Let everyone play their part in the best way to break the chain of transmission in the short term and save the country," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a video conference with lawmakers, according to his office.

Iran has been struggling to contain the outbreak since announcing its first cases in February, and has reported more than 12,800 deaths since then.

Khamenei's speech was his first to MPs since the new parliament took office at the end of May, dominated by conservatives and ultra-conservatives elected in February polls.

According to his official site, Khamenei praised healthcare workers for "their sacrifices.”

But he also strongly criticized "some people who do not even do something as simple as wearing a mask", saying he felt "ashamed" of such behavior.

Khamenei's comments came as infections have again been on the rise in Iran since early May.

According to figures announced Sunday, 194 deaths from the COVID-19 disease and 2,186 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours.

The health ministry announced a record 221 deaths in a single day on Thursday.

In total, 257,303 cases have been reported in the country, including 12,829 deaths, health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said Sunday in a televised press conference.

The rising toll has prompted authorities to make masks mandatory in enclosed public spaces and to allow the hardest-hit provinces to reimpose other measures against the virus.

Iran had closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but the government progressively lifted restrictions from April to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

On Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani said the country could not afford to shut down the economy, even as the outbreak worsened.

Iran must continue "economic, social and cultural activities while observing health protocols", Rouhani said during a televised virus taskforce meeting.

But he reminded Iranians that restrictions, such as a ban on public and private gatherings, remained in place.

"Gatherings, whether for funerals, weddings, parties, seminars or festivals are all harmful" to public health, Rouhani said.

Authorities have previously reported the spread of the virus in areas where such bans had been ignored.

On Sunday, Khamenei also told lawmakers that "parliament has the right to question... but is not permitted to insult or slander government officials".

His comments came a week after a session in which MPs heckled Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, largely over his key role in negotiating a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

The deal had given the Islamic republic relief from international sanctions in return for limits on its nuclear program, but Iranian conservatives staunchly opposed the multilateral agreement, arguing the US could never be trusted.

The US unilaterally abandoned the accord in 2018 as a prelude to reimposing biting sanctions.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Says Cannot Shut Down Economy Despite Worsening Virus Outbreak

Iran said on Saturday that it cannot afford to shut down its sanctions-hit economy, even as the country's novel coronavirus outbreak worsens with record-high death tolls and rising infections.

Iran must continue "economic, social and cultural activities while observing health protocols", President Hassan Rouhani said during a televised virus taskforce meeting. 

"The simplest solution is to close down all activities, (but) the next day, people would come out to protest the (resulting) chaos, hunger, hardship and pressure," he added.

The Islamic republic has been struggling since late February to contain the country's COVID-19 outbreak, the deadliest in the Middle East.

Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari reported Saturday that 188 people had died from the respiratory disease in the past 24 hours, raising the overall toll to 12,635.

Iran's daily COVID-19 death toll has topped 100 since around mid-June, with a record single-day tally of 221 reported on Thursday. 

Lari also raised the country's caseload to 255,117, with 2,397 new infections recorded.

The outbreak's rising toll has prompted authorities to make wearing masks mandatory in enclosed public spaces and to allow the hardest hit provinces to reimpose restrictive measures.

Iran closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but Rouhani's government progressively lifted restrictions from April to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

Iran has suffered a sharp economic downturn after US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions.

The International Monetary Fund predicts Iran's economy will shrink by six percent this year.

"It is not possible to keep businesses and economic activities shut down in the long-term," Rouhani said, emphasizing that "the people will not accept this.”

Health Minister Said Namaki warned on Wednesday of a potential "revolt over poverty" and blamed US sanctions for the government's "empty coffers.”

The reopening of the economy "was not over our ignorance (of the virus' dangers), but it was due to us being on our knees against an economy that could take no more", Namaki said on state television.

US sanctions targeted vital oil sales and banking relations, among other sectors, forcing Iran to rely on non-oil exports, which have dropped as borders were closed to stem the spread of the virus.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Hits Record One-Day Virus Death Toll of 221

Iran reported a new single-day record death toll of 221 from the novel coronavirus on Thursday, after weeks of rising numbers in the Middle East's worst-hit country.

"Unfortunately in the past 24 hours we have lost 221 of our compatriots to the COVID-19 disease," health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told a televised news conference. "The death toll has now reached 12,305."

The Islamic republic has been struggling to combat the outbreak since announcing its first cases in February. 

“The number of (new) cases identified (since Wednesday) is 2,079," Lari said, bringing the total number of infections to 250,458. 

 In response to the resurgence of the disease, the authorities have made the wearing of masks mandatory in covered public places and are considering imposing further restrictions in the hardest hit provinces.

Stemming the coronavirus "requires the help of you, dear people, listening to our health advice", Lari said, before again urging the public to wear masks and respect social distancing.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Reports Record One-Day Coronavirus Death Toll of 200

Iran announced on Tuesday 200 more deaths from the coronavirus, the most in a single day since the Middle East's deadliest outbreak began in February.

The previous record was Sunday's toll of 163 deaths.

"Unfortunately in the past 24 hours we have lost 200 of our compatriots, bringing the total number of victims to 11,931," health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on state television.

"The increase in the number of deaths is very painful for all of us," she said, adding that it was "the result of all of our behavior and actions".

Another 2,637 people have tested positive for the virus, taking the total official number of cases to 245,688, Lari said.

Officially recorded deaths and infections from the virus have been steadily rising since Iran reported a near-two-month low in daily recorded cases in early May.

The resurgence shown by official statistics prompted the government to oblige people to wear masks in enclosed public spaces or when gathering in groups from July 4.

But authorities have repeatedly warned against what they view as a lax attitude by citizens towards masks, while also expressing concerns about people continuing to gather in groups.

"Always have a mask on you when you go out," Lari emphasized on Tuesday.

She also said that infections had risen sharply in one area, which she did not name, after a string of weddings there in recent days.

Iran never imposed a full lockdown in its fight against coronavirus.

Instead, it banned gatherings, particularly in religious and sporting arenas. It also restricted business activity, alongside travel, among other measures.

But economic pressure—already intense before the arrival of coronavirus, due to hefty US sanctions—saw the government progressively allow businesses to open up again from April, as the growth in infections appeared to slow.

State news agency IRNA on Tuesday reported that 12 members of one of the country's top football clubs, Esteghlal, had tested positive for the virus.

Iran's football season had got back under way on June 25, after a four-month suspension due to the pandemic.

Authorities have allowed provinces hardest hit by the virus's resurgence to reimpose restrictions.

Senior Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani, have sought to set an example by being seen to wear masks—a campaign also driven home by state TV.

Enforcement of this measure has sometimes proved difficult, especially in the capital, with many residents remaining reluctant to wear masks even on public transport, where doing so has been compulsory for over two months.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Says Still in First Wave of Virus Outbreak

Iran's coronavirus epidemic is still in its first wave, the government said Tuesday as it announced nearly 150 new deaths a day after reporting a record high daily toll.

The Islamic republic has struggled to contain COVID-19 since it reported its first cases—two deaths—in the Shiite holy city of Qom in late February.

Official figures have shown a rising trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

But officials have repeatedly denied the upward trend amounts to a second wave.

"The coronavirus is currently peaking in border provinces or cities which did not experience a peak in the first months of the outbreak," health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Tuesday.

"Therefore, we're still witnessing the first wave in the country," she said, quoted by state news agency IRNA.

Lari said Iran would only have a second wave if there was another rise in cases in provinces that "had a significant peak" when the first cases were declared.

Iran recorded 162 deaths from the novel coronavirus on Monday, its highest figure for a single day since the start of the outbreak on February 19.

Lari on Tuesday reported 147 new fatalities, raising overall deaths to 10,817.

She also raised the country's COVID-19 caseload to 227,662, with 2,457 new infections in the past 24 hours.

Vaccine in Making

Authorities have so far refrained from enforcing full lockdowns to stop the pandemic's spread and the use of masks and protective equipment has been optional in most areas.

Iran closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but the government gradually lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

The increasing virus caseload has seen some previously largely unscathed provinces classified as "red"—the highest level on Iran's color-coded risk scale—with authorities allowed to reimpose restrictive measures if required.

They include Bushehr, Hormozgan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Khorasan Razavi, Kurdistan, and West and East Azerbaijan, all located along Iran's borders.

Iran has announced that wearing masks will be made mandatory in covered public spaces as of next week.

Authorities have for weeks been urging citizens to use protective equipment.

"Our attempts so far have been to avoid entering the second wave" of the outbreak, government spokesman Ali Rabiei told a news conference on Tuesday.

"Considering the problems the coronavirus has created for the economy, we have no choice but to try to live healthily in co-existence with the virus every day," he added.

Iran's health minister Said Namaki said on Tuesday that a coronavirus vaccine in the making has "mostly passed animal models successfully" and that the country "will start human clinical trials soon.”

Phoro: IENA

Virus-Hit Iran Says Masks Compulsory From Next Week

By Amir Havasi

Iran said Sunday it will make mask-wearing mandatory in certain areas and has allowed virus-hit provinces to reimpose restrictions, as novel coronavirus deaths mounted in the Middle East's worst-hit country.

The new steps were announced as Iran counted 144 new fatalities from the COVID-19 disease, its highest death toll for a single day in almost three months.

The Islamic republic has refrained from enforcing full lockdowns to stop the pandemic's spread, and the use of masks and protective equipment has been optional in most areas.

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would have to live with the virus for the "long haul", as he announced the latest measures to combat it.

Mask-wearing would be "obligatory in covered spaces where there are gatherings", he said during a televised meeting of the country's anti-virus taskforce.

According to him, the measure would come into force as of next week, continue until July 22 and would be extended if necessary.

Rouhani said the health ministry had devised "a clear list" of the types of spaces and gatherings deemed high-risk, but he did not elaborate.

He also did not say what the penalty would be for those who fail to observe the measure.

According to deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi, services would not be provided to those without masks in areas such as government organizations and shopping malls.

But implementing the measure may be difficult, as according to Tehran's mayor, many do not wear masks in places like the capital's public transport network, where it is already mandatory.

"Fifty percent of metro passengers wear masks... and even fewer in buses," Mayor Pirouz Hanachi was quoted as saying by the semi-official ISNA news agency.

"We can't forcefully confront people without masks," he added.

'Red' Counties

Iran reported its first COVID-19 cases on February 19 and it has since struggled to contain the outbreak.

The health ministry on Sunday announced 144 virus deaths in the past 24 hours, its highest for a single day since April 5, raising the total to 10,508.

Spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari also raised total confirmed infections to 222,669, with 2,489 new cases during the same period.

Official figures have shown an upward trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

"Considering the rising numbers, I plead with you to definitely use masks outside and in covered places," Lari said.

Iran closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but the government progressively lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

The economy is starting to suffer under the pressures of the health crisis.

The country's currency, the rial, has hit new lows against the US dollar in recent days, mostly over border closures and a halt in non-oil exports, according to analysts.

The increasing virus caseload has seen some previously unscathed provinces classified as "red"—the highest level on Iran's color-coded risk scale—with authorities allowing them to reimpose restrictive measures if required.

According to Rouhani, the measure would also be extended to provinces with "red" counties.

"Any county that is red, its provincial (virus) committee can propose reimposing limitations for a week", which could be extended if needed, he said.

The government launched an "#I wear a mask" campaign on Saturday and pleaded with Iranians to observe guidelines aimed at curbing infections.

One Iranian is infected with COVID-19 every 33 seconds and one dies from the disease every 13 minutes, Harirchi said on Saturday.

Zanjan county in northwestern Iran has already reimposed restrictive measures for two weeks, its governor said in a televised interview.

It followed a "certain indifference from Zanjan residents and as the number of our (virus) deaths picked up again in recent weeks," said Alireza Asgari.

The limitations include closing wedding halls and a ban on funeral events held at mosques, as they can lead to large gatherings, he added.

Photo: IRNA

Call for Mandatory Masks as Iran Virus Toll Nears 10,000

An Iranian official called for mask-wearing to be made compulsory as the country on Wednesday reported its highest daily coronavirus death toll in more than two-and-a-half months.

"It is certainly required that the wearing of masks becomes mandatory," said Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi.

"If we use masks, especially in closed spaces and gatherings, we can very much reduce the virus' spread," he added in remarks broadcast on television.

Iran reported its first COVID-19 cases on February 19, and it has since struggled to contain the outbreak at the death toll nears 10,000.

It has refrained from imposing a mandatory lockdown on people to stop the virus' spread, and the use of masks and protective equipment is optional in most areas.

The Islamic republic closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but the government gradually lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

Official figures have shown a rising trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran had hit a near-two month low in daily recorded infections.

Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Wednesday that the 133 fatalities in the past 24 hours brought the country's overall virus death toll to 9,996.

That made it the deadliest day in Iran since April 6, when the government reported 136 virus fatalities.

It was also the sixth consecutive day that Iran has reported more than 100 virus deaths.

Lari added that Iran's virus infection caseload had jumped by 2,531 to a total of 212,501 in the past day.

Photo: IRNA

Iranian Rial Hits New Low Against Dollar

By Amir Havasi

The Iranian rial plunged to a new low against the US dollar on Monday in what economists said was a slump partly induced by the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreak.

At Tehran's foreign exchange hub on Ferdowsi Street, the currency was being traded at around 192,800 to the dollar at midday, according to AFP journalists.

The rial has hit rock bottom in the past month, collapsing even below the 190,000 rate it fell to in the wake of the US decision in 2018 to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions.

Reza looked dispirited as he went from exchange to exchange hunting down better rates for dollars needed to pay for a family member's overseas university fees.

The value of the rial against the dollar is "beyond awful now", said the 35-year-old, who has a job in Tehran's Grand Bazaar.

"We're seeing a different rate every day," he told AFP.

The street was busier around government-owned exchanges, as people formed long queues to take advantage of a central bank scheme offering discount rates.

One of those standing in line was a 30-year-old physiotherapist planning to emigrate to Australia.

"The more I work, the less dollars I can buy," she said, only giving her name as Niki.

"This has affected my welfare, made me more stressed. It's a bad situation," she said as she eyed a digital board displaying the latest rates in red.

Iran's already fragile and sanction-hit economy started deteriorating after it reported its first coronavirus cases on February 19, and it has since struggled to contain the outbreak.

US sanctions reimposed in 2018 mainly targeted Iran's oil sales lifeline, prompting the Islamic republic to focus on its manufacturing sector with exports mostly aimed at its neighbors.

Iran earned just $8.9 billion from the sale of oil and related products in the year to March, down from a peak of $119 billion less than a decade ago, according to Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, the head of planning and budget organization.

Coupled with the lower revenues, the coronavirus pandemic led to a temporary shutdown of the economy, border closures and a halt in non-oil shipments.

"The main cause of the current crisis is the coronavirus," said economist Saeed Laylaz, who has acted as an adviser to Iranian presidents.

"Our non-oil exports have virtually stopped, particularly to neighboring countries" due to the COVID-19 outbreak, he noted in a phone interview.

Iran's health ministry on Monday announced 119 new coronavirus deaths and another 2,573 cases of infection.

That takes the overall toll to over 9,742 dead out of more than 207,500 cases in the outbreak, with official figures showing an upward trajectory in new cases of infection since early May.

Iran's government closed non-essential businesses in March in a bid to stem the spread of the virus, but it refrained from imposing a mandatory lockdown on the population.

Restrictions have been eased gradually since April with officials arguing the economy cannot remain shut down.

But the rial's sharp decline was "not unpredictable", said Laylaz, given the considerable growth of liquidity which leads to rising inflation.

The economist said the forex market turmoil had led to "increasing social and political pressure on the government".

According to Yaser Shariat, a market analyst heading a stock brokerage, the rial's troubles may "continue until the epidemic is brought under control" and borders are reopened.

Most of Iran's border crossings with its neighbors remain closed, save for few at Iraq's Kurdistan region, according to Iranian authorities.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Reports 87 New Virus Deaths

Iran on Thursday announced 87 new deaths from the novel coronavirus as authorities moved to tighten measures to stop its spread in some of the country's worst-hit provinces.

Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said in a televised interview that the fatalities in the past 24 hours had taken the overall toll in Iran's outbreak to 9,272

She added that another 2,596 people had tested positive for COVID-19, bringing to 197,647 the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak emerged almost four months ago.

Five of Iran's 31 provinces—Bushehr, East Azerbaijan, Hormozgan, Kermanshah and Khuzestan—were currently "red", the highest level on the country's color-coded risk scale.

East Azerbaijan was set to reimpose restrictive measures, according to state news agency IRNA.

"Limitations will be reimposed due to the rising number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the province," deputy governor Aliar Rastgou said.

Rastgou said the situation was "dangerous" as residents were failing to observe social distancing and other measures under health protocols aimed at halting COVID-19.

Hormozgan had also shut down all non-essential businesses, parks and government organizations, and reimposed an inter-city travel ban at least until Saturday, state television said.

Khuzestan was the first province to see a reimposed lockdown over a worsening situation after the government gradually lifted protocols from April in order to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.

Other provinces such as Golestan as well as Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad have also reimposed measures such as checkpoints at city entrances.

Iran reported its first virus cases on February 19, and it has since struggled to contain the outbreak. 

Official figures have shown a rising trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

Iranian authorities says the recent upsurge is due to increased testing rather than a worsening outbreak.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Reports Over 100 Virus Deaths for Fourth Day

Iran on Wednesday reported more than 100 deaths from the novel coronavirus for a fourth straight day, saying that gatherings in high-risk provinces have led to a spike in infections.

"Holding gatherings such as weddings and funerals is one of the main causes of increased coronavirus infections in red provinces," the highest level on Iran's color-coded risk scale, said deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi.

"In one province, 120 people were infected at a single wedding," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying. Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said 120 new deaths in the past 24 hours took Iran's overall toll to 9,158.

This is Iran's highest single-day death toll since April 11.

Lari added that another 2,612 tested positive for COVID-19, bringing total confirmed cases to 195,051.

Iran reported its first coronavirus cases on February 19, and it has since struggled to contain the outbreak.

Official figures have shown a rising trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

Photo: IRNA

Iran Says Virus Death Toll Tops 9,000

Iran said on Tuesday a third straight day of more than 100 coronavirus deaths took its overall toll past 9,000, attributing the spike to increased travel by its citizens.

Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari warned the bleak figures could get even worse unless people stayed at home for the upcoming long weekend.

She said the increase in the daily toll was "due in large part to people's travel in recent weeks".

"We ask you to avoid unnecessary trips during the upcoming holidays so as not to see an increase in statistics in the future."

Iran has a public holiday on Wednesday, the last day of the working week, making the upcoming weekend a three-day break.

Lari said the 115 new deaths in the past 24 hours took Iran's overall toll to 9,065.

She said another 2,563 people tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 192,439 since the start of Iran's outbreak.

Iran had on Sunday reported 107 deaths from the illness— the first time the tally has topped 100 since April 13.

The government reported the country's first coronavirus cases on February 19, and it has since struggled to contain the outbreak.

It shut schools, postponed major public events and barred intercity travel to stop the virus's spread in March before gradually easing restrictions from April.

Official figures have shown a rising trajectory in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

Lari said 10 of Iran's 31 provinces were now classified as "red"—the highest level on the government's color-coded risk scale.

That compares with five provinces on Monday.

"We strongly recommend that you use a mask when you leave home," she told Iranians.

"Homemade masks can also be effective," she added.

There has been skepticism at home and abroad about Iran's official COVID-19 figures, with concerns the real toll could be much higher.

Iran has appealed to the public to avoid travel over the coming holiday weekend as its daily coronavirus death toll remains in triple figures

Photo IRNA

Iran Daily Virus Deaths Exceed 100 for First Time in 2 Months

Iran on Sunday reported over 100 new deaths in a single day from the novel coronavirus, for the first time in two months.

In televised remarks, health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari announced 107 Covid-19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, raising the overall toll to 8,837.

"It was very painful for us to announce the triple-digit figure," said Lari.

"This is an unpredictable and wild virus and may surprise us at any time," she added, urging Iranians to observe health protocols.

Iran last recorded triple-digit daily fatalities on April 13, with 111 dead.

Lari also announced 2,472 new cases confirmed in the past day, bringing the total infection caseload to 187,427, with over 148,000 recoveries

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday reproached citizens for failing to observe measures designed to rein in the virus.

It was "disturbing" to see that only "18 to 20 percent of people" observe health protocols and social distancing, down from "80 percent or more" between April 20 and May 20, he said, citing a report.

According to Lari, seven of Iran's 31 provinces are currently classified as "red"—the highest level on Iran's color-coded risk scale.

But Rouhani has said the increase in reported infections should not be taken as a sign of a worsening health situation. 

"When more tests are done, then naturally more cases are identified," he told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The high number of recent cases "does not have a negative aspect to it and people should not worry", he added.

Iran has carried out more than 1.2 million COVID-19 tests since its first cases were reported, according to Lari.

The health ministry's head epidemiologist, Mohammad-Mehdi Gouya, said last week that the primary cause of the surge in reported infections was due to testing those "with no or light symptoms.”

The gradual easing of lockdown measures has also partly contributed to higher infections, he added.

Photo: IRNA