2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran

2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran

Confirmed cases 1–9   Confirmed cases 10–99   Confirmed cases 100–499   Confirmed cases 500–999   Confirmed cases 1000–9999   Confirmed cases ≥10000
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS-CoV-2
Location	Iran
First case	Qom
Arrival date	19 February 2020 (4 weeks ago)
Origin	unknown
Confirmed cases	17,361
Suspected cases‡	4,000
Recovered	5,389
Deaths	1,135 (official)
Official website
behdasht.gov.ir
‡ Suspected cases have not been confirmed as being due to this strain by laboratory tests, although some other strains may have been ruled out.

During the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, Iran reported its first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections on 19 February 2020 in Qom. As of 17 March 2020, according to Iranian health authorities, there had been 988 COVID-19 deaths in Iran with more than 16,000 confirmed infections. As of the same date, Iran has the third highest number of COVID-19 deaths after China and Italy, the highest in Western Asia and the third-highest number of SARS-CoV-2 cases, surpassed only by Mainland China and Italy.

Some non-Iranian-government sources estimates of the numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 deaths are much higher than official values. The Iranian government has also been accused of coverups, censorship and mismanagement. However, the World Health Organisation says that it has not seen problems with Iran's reported figures.

Multiple Iranian government ministers and senior officials have been diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive, including Iraj Harirchi, Masoumeh Ebtekar, Mojtaba Zolnour, Pirhossein Kolivand, Eshaq Jahangiri, Ali Asghar Mounesan, Reza Rahmani, and Ali Akbar Velayati. 23 members of the Iranian Parliament, around 8% of all MPs, were reported to have been infected by 3 March 2020. Notable individuals reported to have died from COVID-19 include Hadi Khosroshahi, Mohammad Mirmohammadi, Hossein Sheikholeslam, Fatemeh Rahbar, Mohammad-Reza Rahchamani, Nasser Shabani, and Hashem Bathaie Golpayenagi.

Timeline

February 2020

• 19 February: 2 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Qom. Later that day, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education stated that both had died.
• 20 February: 3 new cases were reported by the Ministry of Health. Two of them were from the city of Qom and one from Arak.
• 21 February: 13 new cases were reported. Seven cases are from Qom, 4 from Tehran, and 2 from Gilan Province. Two more people in Iran died from COVID-19.
• 22 February: the Iranian Ministry of Health reported 10 more infected cases bringing the total to 29 and two more death bringing the total to eight. Eight of the new cases were from the city of Qom and two from Tehran. The following day Iran's Health Minister Saeed Namaki said that one of those who died was a merchant from Qom who traveled regularly using indirect flights between China and Iran after direct flights were suspended between the two countries, and may have brought the virus from China.
• 23 February: the confirmed cases count rose to 43 over four cities and the COVID-19 death toll to eight.
• 24 February: Iran's Deputy Health Minister, Iraj Harirchi, said that twelve people had died and up to 61 had been infected with the new coronavirus. Parliamentarian Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani's claimed that 50 people had died in Qom from COVID-19, which Harirchi denied. At the press conference, Harirchi coughed and sweated.
• 25 February: Iraj Harirchi tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Iranian government first told Iranian citizens that the U.S. had "hyped COVID-19 to suppress turnout" during its government elections, and that it would "punish anyone spreading rumors about a serious epidemic." A closed parliamentary session including Health Minister Saeed Namaki and Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani was held. Body temperatures were tested prior to the meeting and three members of parliament, including Amirabadi Farahani, were requested to excuse themselves from the session and self-quarantine. All three attended the session. Amirabadi Farahani later spoke with journalists and gave television interviews wearing a mask and pair of gloves. Mahmoud Sadeghi, an MP from Tehran, also tested positive for the virus.
• 26 February: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 44 more new confirmed cases and 4 new deaths.

Closed Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine in Ray

• 27 February: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 126 more new confirmed cases and 7 new deaths. Iran's Vice President of Iran for Women and Family Affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, was diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as the Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, Mojtaba Zolnour. Iran's First Ambassador to the Vatican, Hadi Khosroshahi, died from COVID-19 infection in Qom.
• 28 February: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 143 more new confirmed cases and 8 new deaths.
• 29 February: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 205 more new confirmed cases and 9 new deaths. He also reported that 50 more people have recovered.

March 2020

• 1 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 385 more new confirmed cases and 11 new deaths. He also reported that 52 more people have recovered, bringing the total number to 175.
• 2 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 523 more new confirmed cases and 12 new deaths. They also reported that 116 more people have recovered, bringing the total number to 291. Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a member of the Expediency Council which advises the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was reported to have died of the disease.
• 3 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 835 more new confirmed cases and 11 new deaths. 23 members of the Iranian Parliament were reported to have been infected. More than 54,000 prisoners were temporarily released to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
• 4 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 586 more new confirmed cases and 15 new deaths. They also reported that 552 people have recovered so far.
• 5 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 591 more new confirmed cases and 15 new deaths. They also reported that 739 people had recovered so far. Mohammad Sadr, a member of the Expediency Council, had reportedly been infected with coronavirus. Akbar Dehghan (head of Qom seminary interpretation staff), Ayatollah Mohsen Habibi (a member of the Supreme Council of Tehran's Seminaries), Former Ambassador to Syria Hossein Sheikholeslam died from the disease. Sheikholeslam was also an advisor to the foreign Minister Javad Zarif, and one of the leaders of the group which took hostage diplomats and employees of the US embassy in Tehran in 1979. Subsequently, all government officials were forbidden from international travel, and parliament was indefinitely suspended.

Disinfection of Sadeghiyeh, Tehran

• 6 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 1234 more new confirmed cases and 17 new deaths. They also reported that 913 people had recovered so far.
• 7 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 1076 more new confirmed cases and 21 new deaths. Elected Member of Parliament Fatemeh Rahbar died due to coronavirus. Ayatollah Reza Mohammadi Langroudi also died from the virus.
• 8 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 743 more new confirmed cases and 49 new deaths. They also reported that 2134 people had recovered so far.
• 9 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 595 more new confirmed cases and 43 new deaths. They also reported that another 260 people had recovered. Esmail Najjar, the chief of Iran's Crisis Management Organization, was infected with coronavirus. Former MP Mohammad-Reza Rahchamani died from the virus. About 70,000 prisoners were temporarily released as coronavirus cases surge. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei decided to cancel his Persian New Year speech which took place every year at the Imam Reza shrine, Mashhad. Farhad Tazari, the former head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ Political Bureau, also died of coronavirus.
• 10 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 881 more new confirmed cases and 54 new deaths. They also reported that another 337 people had recovered. The death toll raised to 291.
• 11 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 958 more new confirmed cases and 63 new deaths. They also reported that a total of 2,959 patients had recovered so far. Hassan Rouhani, Iran's President, has assumed the chairmanship of the national taskforce on combatting the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, replacing the Health Minister at the request of lawmakers. Iran's First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri was infected with the virus. Other two sick officials were Ali Asghar Mounesan, minister of cultural heritage, handicrafts and tourism, and Reza Rahmani, minister of industry, mines and business.
• 12 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 1,075 more new confirmed cases and 75 new deaths. They also reported that 3,276 people had recovered so far. Member of Expediency Discernment Council Ali Akbar Velayati was infected with the virus. Iran requested an emergency load of US$5 billion from the International Monetary Fund for the first time since the 1960s to help combat the virus outbreak. Khamenei said that the virus outbreak may be a "biological attack" on Iran.
• 13 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 1,289 more new confirmed cases and 85 new deaths. They also reported that 3,529 people had recovered so far. Nasser Shabani, a senior commander of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has died from the virus.
• 14 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 1,365 more new confirmed cases and 97 new deaths. They also reported that 4,339 people had recovered so far. Minoo Mohraz, a member of committee to combat Coronavirus, tested positive for the virus.
• 15 March: Iran's Ministry of Health reported 1,209 more new confirmed cases and 113 new deaths. They also reported that 4,590 people had recovered so far. Hashem Bathaie Golpayenagi, a member of Assembly of Experts, tested positive for the virus.
• 16 March: Hashem Bathaie Golpayenagi and economist Fariborz Raisdana died from the virus.
• 17 March: Sharif University published a study over number of possible casualities. Three scenarios were announced: If people cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over, if they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths. But if people fail to follow any guidance, it could collapse Iran's already-strained medical system and there will be 4 million cases and 3.5 million deaths. Traditional Persian fire festival Chaharshanbe Suri were also banned by the government.

Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection cases and COVID-19 deaths in Iran ()

Date	New	N. sum	Deaths	D. sum	Source
19 Feb 2020	2	2	2	2
20 Feb 2020	3	5	0	2
21 Feb 2020	13	18	2	4
22 Feb 2020	10	28	2	6
23 Feb 2020	15	43	2	8
24 Feb 2020	18	61	4	12
25 Feb 2020	34	95	4	16
26 Feb 2020	44	139	3	19
27 Feb 2020	106	245	7	26
28 Feb 2020	143	388	8	34
29 Feb 2020	205	593	9	43
1 Mar 2020	385	978	11	54
2 Mar 2020	523	1501	12	66
3 Mar 2020	835	2336	11	77
4 Mar 2020	586	2922	15	92
5 Mar 2020	591	3513	15	107
6 Mar 2020	1234	4747	17	124
7 Mar 2020	1076	5823	21	145
8 Mar 2020	743	6566	49	194
9 Mar 2020	595	7161	43	237
10 Mar 2020	881	8042	54	291
11 Mar 2020	958	9000	63	354
12 Mar 2020	1075	10075	75	429
13 Mar 2020	1289	11364	85	514
14 Mar 2020	1365	12729	97	611
15 Mar 2020	1209	13938	113	724
16 Mar 2020	1053	14991	129	853
17 Mar 2020	1178	16169	135	988
18 Mar 2020	1192	17361	147	1135
Notes:

COVID-19 cases in Iran  ()      Deaths        Recoveries        Active cases
Date			# of cases
2020-02-19		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	2(n.a.)
2020-02-20		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	5(+150%)
2020-02-21		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	18(+260%)
2020-02-22		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	29(+61%)
2020-02-23		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	43(+48%)
2020-02-24		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	64(+49%)
2020-02-25		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	95(+48%)
2020-02-26		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	139(+46%)
2020-02-27		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	245(+76%)
2020-02-28		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	388(+58%)
2020-02-29		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	593(+53%)
2020-03-01		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	978(+65%)
2020-03-02		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	1,501(+53%)
2020-03-03		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	2,336(+56%)
2020-03-04		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	2,922(+25%)
2020-03-05		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	3,513(+20%)
2020-03-06		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	4,747(+35%)
2020-03-07		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	5,823(+23%)
2020-03-08		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	6,566(+13%)
2020-03-09		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	7,161(+9.1%)
2020-03-10		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	8,042(+12%)
2020-03-11		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	9,000(+12%)
2020-03-12		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	10,075(+10%)
2020-03-13		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	11,364(+13%)
2020-03-14		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	12,729(+12%)
2020-03-15		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	13,938(+9.5%)
2020-03-16		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	14,991(+7.6%)
2020-03-17		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	16,169(+7.9%)
2020-03-18		​ ​ ​ ​ ​	17,361(+7.3%)
Sources: Ministry of Health and Medical Education

New COVID-19 cases in Iran by province ()

Date	Region 1							Region 2						Region 3						Region 4						Region 5						Confirmed cases		Deaths
	Qom	Teh	Maz	Alb	Sem	Gol	Qaz	Esf	Frs	Hor	Koh	Cha	Bus	Gil	Ard	Azs	Azg	Kur	Zan	Mar	Ham	Khz	Krs	Lor	Ilm	Khr	Sis	Yaz	Khs	Ker	Khn	New	Total	New	Total	Sources
2020/02/19	2																															2	2	2	2
2020/02/20	2																			1												3	5		2
2020/02/21	7	4												2																		13	18	2	4
2020/02/22	8	2																														10	28	2	6
2020/02/23	7	4	1											2						1												15	43	2	8
2020/02/24	8	3						2						2						2	1											18	61	4	12
2020/02/25	16	8	2	2					1	1				2												1						34	95	3	15
2020/02/26	15	4	1		1				2	1	2			1						1		3	1	1			2					44	139	4	19
2020/02/27	7	38	7	3	3			8						23	5	2	1	1			1		2	3		1		1				106	245	7	26
2020/02/28	16	64	9	3	2	2	2	10						25	1	4		2				3										143	388	8	34
2020/02/29	21	52	12	8	4	22	6	12	8					17	3	6		5		18		4			1		1	4	1			205	593	9	43
2020/03/01	30	170	11	31	3			13	8	2				28						44	3	9	2	8	1	17	2		2	2		385	978	11	54
2020/03/02	N/A																															523	1501	11	54
2020/03/03	N/A																															835	2336	11	77
2020/03/04	101	253	9	19	8	9	25		14			1		35		9		4	6	8		27	15	5	7	8	8			14	1	586	2922	15	92
2020/03/05	32	56	50	61	22	4	31	118	19	2		8	3	80	17	10	5	6	7	31	6	1		11		53	5		9		2	591	3513	15	107
2020/03/06	137	61	180	129	54	67	65	150	13	6	4	5	2	91	11	10	1	24	35	48	7		5	50	2		2	50	3	7	12	1234	4747	17	124
2020/03/07	145	126	305	3	24	58	2	96	14	11		2	3	70	1	2	22	2	2	37	11	1	4	27	2	46	13	24		15	8	1076	5823	21	145
2020/03/08	17	266	14	2	37	13	29	80	9	5	3	5	2	2	9	30	7	19	1	70	26	5	2	37		19		6	26	1	1	743	6566	49	194
2020/03/09	27	140	13		45		40	37	29	17		5	1	28	22	22	29	3	15	54		4	11	7	16	29		3	-7	-5	10	595	7161	43	237
2020/03/10	39	169	253	32	1	4	10	17	18	17	2	11	7		19	17	4	12	11	27	17	37	7	25	25	39	6	37	14	4		881	8042	54	291
2020/03/11	53	256	32	45	63	9	27	170	19	10		1		5	1	29	27	6	22	31	7	17	8	9	6	34	4	23	15	18	11	958	9000	63	354
2020/03/12	42	303	79	74	40	25	42	4	29		15	11	3	84	14	7	19	9	17	88	12	31	20	25	7	29	6	21	12	7		1075	10075	75	429
2020/03/13	42	303	192	6	38	21	12	110	33	4				71	15	97	25	9	20	48	10	15	15	25	8	110	2	46		12		1289	11364	85	514
2020/03/14	32	347	17	134	47		47	155	11				7	113	33	59	31	5	31	115	7	48	8	2	6	30	2	73	4		1	1365	12729	97	611
2020/03/15	84	251	72	67	41	25	22	126	9	7	1		6	43		36	18	27	32		11	32	13	52	18	143	6	36	18	7	6	1209	13938	113	724
2020/03/16	19	200	96	49	34	42	40	118	43	16	5	3	4	18	30	35	31	31	15	14	12	53	16		2		11	51	7	13	45	1053	14991	129	853
2020/03/17	29	273	59	116	33	30	26	75	31	6		2	4	45	19	78	34	2	25	47	6	25	14	35	7	63	11	49	12	19	3	1178	16169	135	988
2020/03/18	22	213	61	76	60	20	53	162	60	12	13	4	4	21	10	84	42	22	20	23	13	28	7	39	10	30	6	45	21	11		1192	17361	147	1135
Total	1074	4260	1494	906	577	351	526	1538	386	124	45	58	46	924	213	571	300	189	261	782	155	359	152	363	120	661	88	471	140	127	100	N/A	14991	N/A	853
Notes:

Government response

Spokesperson of the Government Ali Rabiei and Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi at a press conference. Hours after the conference, it was announced that Harirchi himself tested positive for the virus

The Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance, announced the cancellation of all concerts and other cultural events for one week. The Ministry of Health and Medical Education also announced the closure of universities, higher educational institutions and schools in several cities and provinces. The Ministry of Sports and Youth took steps to cancel sporting events, including football matches. The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics created first COVID-19 test kit on 23 February. Management and Planning Organization announced government has allocated 5 trillion rials to combat the virus. President Hassan Rouhani ordered the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development to make decisions about public commuting and the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade to build the required medical equipment.

President Rouhani, however, said on 26 February 2020 that there are no plans to quarantine areas affected by the outbreak, and only individuals would be quarantined. Nevertheless, Iran's Health Ministry said that Friday prayers will not be held in Tehran and areas affected by the outbreak that week.

On 20 February, according to a letter of Iran's health ministry to the governor of Qom, a request was made to "limit the number of pilgrims at the Fatima Masumeh Shrine and other religious sites". However, Shia shrines in Qom remained open for pilgrims to congregate. The head of Fatima Masumeh shrine encouraged pilgrims to visit the shrine on 27 February: "We consider this holy shrine to be a place of healing."

The Iranian judiciary spokesman, Gholam Hossein Ismaili said that "he was activating a range of preventive measures including cutting the number of people being sent to jail and allowing some inmates out on temporary early release."

On 26 February, Iranian Cyber Police announced that to stop spreading photos and videos which are untrue and fake on coronavirus, notices were given to 118 people and 24 others were arrested. These indictments were considered vague by Article 19, and government's attempt to control the information flow.

Administrative and Recruitment Affairs Organization ruled that telecommuting of government employees would be permissible. Corona National Anti-Virus Headquarters ordered the academic organizations to launch learning management systems.

On 2 March 2020, the government announced plans to mobilise 300,000 soldiers and volunteers to combat the spread of the virus, as well as deploying drones and water cannon to disinfect streets. The government created an application and a website to combat the outbreak.

As confirmed cases mounted, Iran's health minister announced on 5 March 2020 that checkpoints would be placed between cities to limit travel, and schools and universities closed until the start of the holiday for Persian new year Nowruz on 20 March 2020. Citizens were also advised to avoid using banknotes. Major General Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, stated "Iran is currently engaged in biological warfare and will definitely win the war". The government has indicated that it may use force to limit travel between cities.

On 9 March 2020, around 70,000 prisoners were temporarily released from prisons due to the outbreak ostensibly to limit the further spread of the disease within prisons. 85,000 prisoners including political prisoners were released in total by 17 March 2020.

On 13 March 2020, plan to clear streets, shops and public places in Iran by the Revolutionary Guards was announced. In addition, 1,000 fixed and mobile detection clinics would be set up, the army would work alongside medical staff as well as producing face masks and gloves, and army beds would be made available for patients. Iranian football player Mohammad Mokhtari who on 10 March had posted on Instagram, criticising the authorities’ handling of the coronavirus outbreak was arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani wrote public letter to world leaders asking for help, saying that his country doesn't have access to international markets due to the United States sanctions against Iran.

On 16 March 2020, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Fatima Masumeh Shrine, Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, and Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad were closed. Following this announcement, some people protested to enter the shrine but they were driven out of the shrine by servants and the doors were closed again.

On 17 March the government warned that "millions" might die from the coronavirus if people keep ignoring health guidelines and continue traveling. 90% of the 18,000 coronavirus cases in the Middle East have taken place in Iran; 988 people have died in the country.

International spread and travel restrictions

Further information: Travel restrictions related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

February 2020

World countries with COVID-19 cases linked to Iranian clusters

On 20 February, a SARS-CoV-2 confirmed case was reported for a woman in her 30s who had arrived in Canada from Iran. On 25 February, a woman in her 60s, and the next day her husband, who was also in his 60s, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

On 21 February, Lebanon confirmed the first COVID-19 case, a 45-year-old woman travelling from Qom, Iran was admitted to a hospital in Beirut.

On 23 February, Georgia suspended flights to and from Iran. On the same day, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Armenia closed their land borders with Iran. Afghanistan stopped all forms of travel to and from Iran with three suspected cases reported, while Turkey stopped all incoming flights from Iran.

On 24 February, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Tajikistan, restricted and suspended all flights from and to Iran. The citizens of the United Arab Emirates were banned from traveling to Iran. Armenia also suspended flights to Iran but scheduled flights to repatriate its citizens from Iran. Neighbouring countries Kuwait, Iraq and Bahrain announced that it recorded their first coronavirus cases from people who came from Iran. According to the report of Oman’s Health Ministry, there are two Omani women who visited Iran and now infected with the coronavirus.

On 26 February, Pakistan announced two persons had been diagnosed with COVID-19, one of them known to have visited Iran.Georgia confirmed the first COVID-19 case, a 50-year-old Georgian man who returned from Iran. China confirmed a man in Zhongwei, Ningxia, who returned from Iran, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Kazakhstan announced a plan to stop flights to and from Iran starting 1 March 2020.

On 27 February, Estonia confirmed the first COVID-19 case, an Iranian citizen living in Estonia who returned from Iran. Kuwait confirmed 43 cases of COVID-19, all of them involved people who had travelled to Iran in February. Germany, Norway, Sweden and Spain also confirmed new cases involving individuals with previous travels to Iran. Russia announced that it will limit flights to and from Iran except for those operated by Aeroflot and Mahan Air, and will also stop issuing visas to Iranian citizens starting 28 February 2020.

On 28 February, New Zealand and Belarus reported their first cases of COVID-19, both involving people who had traveled from Iran. New Zealand announced temporary restrictions on people travelling from Iran. Malaysia set up separate immigration lanes for travellers from countries with major COVID-19 outbreaks including Iran. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) upgraded the status of Iran to level 3 (avoid non-essential travels due to widespread community transmission).

On 29 February, Australia announced a ban on foreigners arriving directly from Iran, and required them to stay in a third country for a fortnight before entering Australia. A woman returning from Iran had also tested positive for the virus. Azerbaijan later closed its border with Iran as two Azeri citizens were confirmed to have been infected in Iran.In Qatar, the first infection in a citizen evacuated from Iran was reported.

March 2020

World Health Organization representatives holding joint meeting with Tehran administrators

On 1 March 2020, Armenia announced its first case of coronavirus infection, identified in a man who had returned from Iran.

On 2 March 2020, Sweden announced that it had suspended flights operated by Iran Air, the first country to ban flights by the airline.

On 4 March 2020, Thailand declared that people travelling from Iran must be quarantined for 14 days after arriving with no exception. Iraq and Azerbaijan stopped letting trucks and imports coming from Iran to enter this country, earlier on 29 February Azerbaijan had closed its borders to the people coming from Iran.

On 5 March, India Delhi confirmed a case of a citizen who recently travelled to Iran. Thailand announced the 46th and 47th confirmed cases of the country, a 22-year-old Chinese and 20-year-old Thai, who had recently travelled to Iran.

On 6 March 2020,Russia announced that it will temporary ban visitors arriving from Iran starting 7 March 2020.

On 9 March 2020, Iran has been recognized as a point of spreading coronavirus to other countries. All of Iran's neighboring states have put some kind of limitations or closed their borders with Iran.

Shanghai confirmed four imported cases from Iran. The Chinese province of Gansu also confirmed 25 imported cases from Iran, who had travelled in the charters.

Other international reactions

While the US sanctions legally allow humanitarian products to be sold to Iran, due to their nature, very few banks are willing to risk sanctions by trading with Iran. This has severely limited the medical supplies available to the Iranian public health system in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. One right wing lobby group in the United States, United Against Nuclear Iran, has argued to stop all global humanitarian trade with Iran and prevent medical supplies from reaching the country.

The fifth batch of testing kits was dispatched to Iran by the World Health Organization on 28 February. The group of Chinese medical experts with a new pack of humanitarian aid entered Iran on 29 February.

One Dubai-based newspaper wrongly claimed in a front-page headline that all cases of the new coronavirus in the region came from the Islamic Republic. That would be convenient for the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to Dubai whose 13 coronavirus cases predominantly trace back to China.

Brian Hook, the US State Department's envoy on Iran, said that the Iranian government lied "and their media was instructed not to report on the coronavirus outbreak as it rapidly spread from the religious city of Qom to other cities".

Struan Stevenson, a Scottish politician and coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change, which is backed by the People's Mujahiden of Iran accused the Iranian government of covering up the true death toll, and estimated the death count to be 1,200 in early March, ten times that of the official census. It was echoed by the People's Mujahedin of Iran, which also accused the government of suppressing death count.

Non-government estimates

People in Shiraz wearing mask with a banner in a close store written: "I'm staying at home"

In a preprint paper pending for review on medRxiv journal, Tuite et al. estimated that as of 25 February, c. 18,300 infections (95% confidence interval: 3,770–53,470; best-case scenario: 380–5,320 cases) could have occurred in Iran, based on known exported case counts and air travel links between Iran and other countries, the latter compiled from the data in the past. They concluded that Iran is likely to experience an "epidemic of significant size", while lack of identified cases in countries with close travel ties to Iran are because the cases are "likely being missed, rather than being truly absent".

The government of Iran had insisted that there was no confirmed COVID-19 in Iran before 19 February 2020, when the first cases were announced. However, a letter claimed to be from the Ministry of Health to the office of the President that circulated on social media suggests that the Iranian authorities were aware of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths many days before the official announcement. Government officials said that the letter was a fake. Another letter also circulated on social media; it was signed by interior minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli and sent to Health Minister Saeed Namaki to request that the announcement of coronavirus outbreak be delayed until after the parliamentary election to avoid a low turnout of voters. The government has also denied this claim.

On 9 March, Graeme Wood stated that he deems the official count "certainly an undercount", and provided alternative estimates which he calls "doomsday figures".

World Health Organization verification

On 28 February 2020, Dr Michael Ryan, Chief Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme tasked with the international containment and treatment of COVID-19, told the press that the mortality rate in Iran indicated its outbreak might be more widespread than realised.

On 2 March 2020, The World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom said in an interview with CNBC that the WHO has its own mechanism for checking national health authorities' statistics and did not see problems with the official Iranian government SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 counts.

On 17 March 2020, WHO regional emergency director Rick Brennan said the number of cases reported in Iran could represent only about 20% of the real numbers because testing was restricted to severe cases, as is the case even in some wealthy European countries. He added "We’ve said the weakest link in their chain is the data. They are rapidly increasing their ability to test and so the numbers will go up... [t]here’s a great commitment and they are taking it seriously from the highest level of government".

Members of parliament

Masoud Pezeshkian, the First Deputy of the Parliament of Iran, claimed on 3 March 2020 that the figures reported by Iran's health ministry are "not real". Member of parliament for Qom Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani claimed on 24 February 2020 that COVID-19 had arrived in Qom three weeks prior, in early February, that the first death had occurred on 13 February but was not announced by officials, and that the true number of COVID-19 deaths in Qom was 50. Deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi denied giving false figures, and stated that the death count was 12 with a total of 66 infections.

Anonymous sources reported by media

On 28 February 2020 BBC reported 210 deaths have occurred in Iran, citing "sources in the country's health system", while the official number for the day was 34. Kianush Jahanpur, the spokesman for the health ministry rejected the BBC report in a tweet.

On 12 March, The Economist wrote "[s]ome in the government think the actual number of cases is closer to 100,000", while the official count of infected people was about 9,000.

On 15 March, Radio Farda reported that "based on the statements made by local officials in various parts of Iran", around 1,294 have died, while the official death toll reached 724.

Satellite imagery from Qom cemetery

Burial site at Qom’s Behesht Masoumeh Cemetery

On 12 March, The Washington Post published satellite images and analysis provided by Maxar Technologies, showing that vast burial pits were being excavated near Qom, said to be used to accommodate the potentially increasing number of victims in the city. The digging of the new section of burial pits began on 21 February, only two days after the government announced their first cases of COVID-19, and then rapidly expanded. The number of fresh graves suggests preparation for a far larger number of deaths. One of the officials of the Qom municipality has denied the claims of the media that the new graves are being dug in the Qom cemetery. He said that the image is exaggerated by foreign media for the purpose of falsification, some parts of the image belong to the adjacent estate, not the Qom cemetery. He said between 18 and 20 people who are not infected by coronavirus die in Qom every day.

See also

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic by country and territory
• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia