Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 7, 2020—As of 8 pm Tehran time on Friday, March 6, over 1,800 people have died due to the coronavirus outbreak in Iran, according to the Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (update: the death toll has reached 2,000, according to MEK sources). This information is being provided based on reports, messages, and calls from Iranians in different cities and regions across the country. A considerable number of people in the cities of Tehran, Qom, Rasht, Sanandaj, Kamyaran, Agh-Qala, Ali Abad Katol, Gorgan, Khoy, Salmas, Ahvaz, Shahriar, Pakdasht, Shahreza, Isfahan, Mashhad, Quchan, Kashan, Masal, Shanderman, Rudsar, Ramsar, Lahijan, Hamedan, Khoramabad, Hashtgerd, Karaj, Shahroud, Parsian and Lordegan, have lost their lives.
Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), condemned the mullahs’ regime for its COVID-19 cover-up and the toll on the Iranian people.
“I urge the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to condemn the clerical regime for its continued criminal cover-up of the spread of Coronavirus and jeopardizing the lives of people in Iran and other countries,” Madam Rajavi said.
The mullahs’ criminal cover-up & deferral in the #CoronaOutbreak has imperiled the lives of our people; I urge your national solidarity to prevent further spread of the infection. Vent your anger at the regime; rise up to protect the country & its health, security and future. pic.twitter.com/rRIUUo9Wc2
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 6, 2020
UPDATE 8:00 PM CET
The coronavirus outbreak in Iran has now taken the lives of over 2,000 people across 105 cities, according to sources affiliated to the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). During the past 24 hours hundreds of Iranians have lost their lives especially in the cities of Tehran, Qom, Rasht, Anzali, Astaneh, Rudsar, Chalus, Isfahan, Khansar, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Saqqez, Bane, Tuyserkan, Baneh, Urmia, Dezful, Marand, Najaf Abad and Yazd. The number of people infected with the COVID-19 virus is rising exponentially. The mullahs’ regime has been forced to, although with much delay, cancel sham Friday prayers in mosques throughout the country.
Over 2,000 people across 105 cities of Iran have died to the coronavirus, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
The cities include Tehran, Qom, Rasht, Anzali, Astaneh, Rudsar, Chalus, Isfahan, Khansar, Kermanshah, Karaj, Mashhad, Saqqez, Baneh & … #Iran#coronavirus pic.twitter.com/9dGhuO76x7
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 7, 2020
Roads leading into the provinces of Yazd, Gilan, Fars, Qazvin, Zanjan, Ardabil, Kerman, Isfahan, Golestan, Semnan, Lorestan, Mazandaran, Kermanshah, Khorasan Razavi, Kohgiluyeh and Sistan & Baluchistan have been blocked.
Conditions in Gilan Province, especially the city of Rasht, are described as dire and critical. Over 300 people have died across the province. “The number of people infected and the victims of COVID-19 is devastating and even test kits are not available to test people showing symptoms of this virus,” said Gholam-Ali Jafarzadeh Imenabadi, member of regime’s Majlis (parliament) from Rasht. “There are no beds to hospitalize newly infected patients in the city of Rasht or nearby areas… We in the city of Rasht and nearby areas are in dire need of new members for our medical staff as many of the physicians and nurses are now infected with COVID-19 or are too exhausted to carry out their tasks,” he added.
Zabih Nikfar Layalestani, another Majlis member from Gilan Province, said this area has the worst coronavirus epidemic conditions across the country.
Majlis member Shahram Kusegharavi from Golestan Province in northeast Iran: “Conditions in Golestan Province are not good and numbers provided are not very real… The number of people infected with COVID-19 is increasing exponentially… I hope special measures are taken to at least control the situation,” he said. At least 175 people are infected in Golestan Province.
The governor of Qazvin Province in northwest Iran said the situation is code red in the province and ordered the closure of all public places, religious sites, museums, mosques, hotels and dining centers.
Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said in a recent message:
“What has made our country seriously vulnerable in the face of diseases and natural disasters, is a brutal and pilfering dictatorship that does not hesitate to commit any imaginable crime to preserve its disgraceful rule. This is a regime that has destroyed all economic, social, medical, and health care infrastructures and the environment… As the Leader of the Iranian Resistance Massoud Rajavi said: The Iranian people’s fight against the Coronavirus is part of their broader and fateful war against Khamenei and the inhuman clerical regime.”
Madam Rajavi called on all youths in Iran, especially the Resistance Councils and Popular Councils, to rush to the help of those infected and save their lives, while taking into account all safety and hygiene precautions.
UPDATE 4:00 PM CET
More citizen reports coming from inside the country portray a grim picture:
March 6 – Mashhad, northeast Iran: “Shariati Hospital, the first facility responding to the coronavirus crisis, is now over capacitated. The Imam Reza or Qaem hospitals are making preparations but the staff in Qaem Hospital have a limited number of proper suits and if each section has 30 or 40 staff members, they’re only provided five to ten suits. Masks and gloves are very rare.”
March 6 – Khorramshahr, southwest Iran: “The status is now code red in this city, meaning it is quite dangerous. The number of people infected is increasing on a daily basis and even with each passing hour. Based on the information that I have been able to gather, around 200 to 250 people in Taleghani Hospital are showing COVID-19 symptoms. This hospital is allocated for the cities of Khorramshahr, Shadegan and Abadan [all in Khuzestan Province].”
March 6 – Anzali, northern Iran: “I went to a number of drug stores looking for masks. Despite the fact that officials constantly say there shouldn’t be any problem finding masks and antiseptic substances, there was none in this city. And the death toll in Anzali Hospital is very high, maybe dozens of people are dying each day in Anzali. Unfortunately, the people are not provide the actual figures.”
UPDATE 2:00 PM CET
A member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) from Rasht, northern Iran, has described conditions in this city as “devastating.” The number of people infected with COVID-19 and those who have died is extremely high.
Fatemeh Rahbar, a regime insider planning to enter the Majlis following the sham February 21 parliamentary election, has died of the coronavirus, according to the regime’s state media reports on Saturday, March 7.
A report from the town of Talesh, northern Iran, indicates a catastrophe in this area. “A large number of youths in the towns of Rezvanshahr, Hashtpar, Poonel Pareh-sar, Khalif Abad, Shanderman, Masal, Some’e Sara and Fouman have lost their lives because of the coronavirus. Most deaths are in the town of Masal. Eight bodies were buried on Friday, March 6, in the cemetery of Tazeh Abad in Masal, and authorities used a bulldozer to dig their grave. Locals were seen arguing and clashing with officials in charge at the scene. People were angry over why Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) officials were secretly burying the bodies in the middle of the night. The Gilan Provincial Office has ordered the mayor of Masal to allocate a piece of land as a cemetery for coronavirus victims.”
Reports from the Iranian capital Tehran indicate that the City Council spokesperson has called for a total shutdown. This sheds important light on the scope of the COVID-19 disaster.
Minoo Mohraz, a senior official in the regime’s Health Ministry, says 40 percent of the people are infected with the coronavirus and most are recovering from mild symptoms. The country has yet to reach the climax of this illness and we are still witnessing a daily increase in the number of people infected with this virus, she added. Forecasts indicate that the next two or three weeks will continue to show a growing number of people being infected with the virus and the decline will begin afterwards, Mohraz explained.
11:00 AM CET
Reports indicate 180,000 people across Iran may be suffering from the coronavirus. Iranian regime Deputy Communications Minister Amir Nazemi the information sent by two million indicate COVID-19 signs in nine percent of the responses, meaning 180,000 people. These remarks show that Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his regime are fully focused on cloaking the horrifying proportions of the COVID-19 crisis spreading throughout the country.
In troubling reports, Ali Sheikh Moradi, a nurse in the Qaem Hospital of Rasht in northern Iran, lost his life due to the coronavirus. Other nurses by the names of Gholamreza Vothooghi-kia, Ramin Azizi and Narges Khanalizadeh have also sacrificed their lives in the struggle against COVID-19.
Dr. Siamak Diushli, a pediatrician and head of the Nurses Association in Bandar Anzali, northern Iran, has unfortunately lost his life.
The city of Qom in central Iran is a COVID-19 hotspot in Iran. Reports indicate at least 1,026 have been hospitalized in this city alone. A citizen report reads:
“City officials are lying to the public about the COVID-19 numbers. Through one of my friends I heard more than 150 people have died. All the hospitals are full. Some reports indicate many of the military personnel are infected with the virus. However, regime officials are refusing to report the truth… Four military members in Hamedan’s airbase have tested positive. Three other individuals in this site are also showing signs of this virus. They have been transferred to the city’s Bu Ali Sina Hospital.”
More than 1,800 people have died of the coronavirus across Iran, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
-Tehran is now an epicenter
-400 dead in Tehran Province with a population of 14 million
-MP calls on Rouhani to quarantine the capital#Iran#COVIDー19 https://t.co/5MBgVBuRu5— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 6, 2020
Another report quoting the governor of Qom Province indicates the number of COVID-19 cases are on the rise in this state.
A text message from the city of Qazvin in northwest Iran reads: “87 people have died of the coronavirus. There are no masks or sanitizing gels.” Reports indicate all public sites, entrances and exits are being controlled and visitors are not allowed into this city.
Report from Karaj, west of Tehran: “People are staying in their homes. The streets are empty. Masks, sanitizing gels and rubbing alcohol can no longer be found. There are no official numbers from Karaj.”
A report from Bandar Abbas, southern Iran: “Our province, along with nine others, are classified as being in dire conditions. Arrangements are made for all the stores to be closed from Saturday onward. Ninety percent of the country is probably shut down.”
Report from Shanderman, northern Iran: “Cleaning detergents, gloves or masks cannot be found in this city. Nothing can be found. Many of the locals don’t known anything about this virus.”
The MP from the city of Rasht, northern Iran, shared more disturbing details. “There is no room in our hospitals for newly infected COVID-19 patients. Code Red has been declared in this city and nearby areas.”
Official numbers from Khorasan Razavi Province in northeast Iran indicate at least 16 people being infected with the virus and one death as of Friday, March 6.
In an interesting development, Iran’s Health Minister fired his representative in Gilan Province after he made the following remarks: “Hospitals are witnessing troubling times. Some families have lost a few of their loved ones… the coronavirus is ruthless and takes down anyone in its path.” These are further indications that the main concern of the mullahs’ regime in Iran is maintaining a lid on the truth about the COVID-19 crisis, especially the number of people killed and infected.
