Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 13, 2020—Disturbing reports of coronavirus expanding to vast areas across the country indicate a major COVID-19 epidemic in Iran. So far, the death toll has risen to 3,650, according to reports obtained by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). (Update: the death toll of the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 4,000, according to MEK sources.)
Around nine percent of the population in East Azerbaijan Province will be infected with coronavirus by mid-April, according to Mohammad Hossein Somi, dean of Tabriz Medical Sciences University in northwest Iran.
“To this day, the result of 279 tests in this province have been positive and if the number of positive cases reaches 300, it will mean that there are 3,000 infected people across the province that have not sought any medical attention at hospitals. They are spreading the virus,” Somi said in an interview at 11 pm local time on Thursday, March 12. His remarks indicate COVID-19 has expanded to all cities of East Azerbaijan Province.
More than 3,650 people across 160 cities in Iran have died of coronavirus, according to Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
A city governor in northeast Iran has ordered the preparation of dozens of 4-meter deep graves for mass burials of COVID-19 victims.#Iran#CoronavirusPandemic https://t.co/sdfQpthJku
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 12, 2020
UPDATE 10:00 PM CET
More than 4,000 people in 166 cities across Iran have died of the coronavirus as of Friday, March 23, according to the Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The number of victims are as follows: in Qom 650, in Tehran 570, in Gilan 551, in Khorasan Razavi 376, in Mazandaran 314, in Golestan 302, in Kurdistan 123, in Lorestan 120, in Hamedan 19 and in Ilam 14. These numbers are in addition to those of 21 other provinces.
More than 4,000 people across 166 cities in Iran have died of coronavirus, according to Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
MP: "We are reaching the point of no return"
Regime is seeking measures aimed at preventing any possible anti-government protests.#Iran#coronavirus https://t.co/ATGn7VqTOA— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 13, 2020
Since the number of the fatalities in Iran is escalating around the clock, Mohammad Reza Najafi, a member of regime’s Majlis (parliament) warned regime President Hassan Rouhani of the inevitable consequences of continued cover-up. “Despite, the ongoing cover-up policy, the crisis is flaring up and the golden time to overcome it may pass by. We are getting close to the point of no return”, he said.
“Among the Coronavirus patients who referred to the hospital 10%, 30%, and 50% tested positive on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively", the state-run news agency, ISNA, quoted the Director of Tabriz Medical Science University in East Azerbaijan Province as saying. “In a month time, 400,000 people will be affected in the Province, while our hospitals have only 4,000 beds. If the number of infections increases, considering the degrading medical services, 40% of those hospitalized will die”.
To counter increasing public anger over the regime's criminal cover-up and inaction, on Thursday, March 12, regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei assigned Chief of the Staff of Iranian regime’s Armed Forces, IRGC Major General Mohammad Bagheri, to form a "health command center" to prevent and treat Corona. However, the actual purpose is to prevent popular uprisings and protests.
Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) issued a statement in this regard on Friday reading in part:
In order to cover-up the real intentions behind the new assignment, Khamenei preposterously claimed that there were “reasons that suggest the probability of biological attack” is the source of the Coronavirus outbreak. “Given the probability of a biological attack, this will be an opportunity to test and improve our biological defense capabilities and will add to our national authority and empowerment.”
Today, after the first meeting, Bagheri unveiled Khamenei’s repressive intentions, saying: "Our law enforcement and security committee, along with the interior ministry and governors will start evacuating shops, streets and roads … this will be organized in the next twenty-four hours.”
Reacting to Khamenei's repressive scheme, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: These futile efforts will intensify the Iranian people’s anger and hatred over the despicable and oppressive velayat-e faqih system, which has done nothing but committing murder and plundering people’s wealth over the past 40 years. The Iranian people have stated unequivocally “our enemy is here” and “Khamenei and Rouhani are our Coronavirus.”
Madam Rajavi also dismissed Khamenei’s claims of the coronavirus being a biological attack by the U.S. on Iran. “Khamenei’s claim about the possibility of a ‘biological attack’ is an unprofessional hoax intended to step up their plans for clampdown on society. These desperate efforts only add fuel to the Iranian people’s anger and abhorrence towards the ominous clerical dictatorship. For 40 years, the clerical regime has done nothing but committing crimes against the people of Iran, killing and plundering them. Iran’s nation cries out loud, ‘Our enemy is right here” and chants, ‘Khamenei, Rouhani, you are the coronavirus!”
Khamenei’s claim about the possibility of a “biological attack” is an unprofessional hoax intended to step up their plans for clampdown on society. These desperate efforts only add fuel to the Iranian people’s anger and abhorrence towards the ominous clerical dictatorship. #Iran
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 13, 2020
2:00 PM CET
“Ten percent of those who went to hospitals on Tuesday, March 10 were infected with coronavirus. On Wednesday, March 11, 30 percent tested positive and on Thursday, March 12, 50 percent of these individuals tested positive,” he added.
“Imagine 400,000 people are infected, our hospitals can currently deliver medical care to 4,000 people. If we don’t break this cycle, we will be piled up under the rubble like other provinces… Although we have one percent of the country’s death tally, if the number of cases increase and the quality of our medical services decrease, 40 percent of those currently hospitalized will die,” Somi added.
A citizen report from Gilan Province, northern Iran:
9 pm local time – March 11
“A TV crew of Gilan Province came to the municipality square of Rasht and they’ve brought a number of municipality workers for interviews. The workers were told to say we are here every night to sanitize various areas. However, this is far from the truth. Our house is in Rashtian Avenue of downtown Rasht. In the past three weeks they have only come twice to disinfect our areas. And they don’t provide the true number of COVID-19 deaths and cases. They’re just airing lies in state TV and radio that they’re sanitizing city streets and neighborhoods.”
Heartbreaking footage of an ill coronavirus patient in Shahab Avenue in the city of Khaf in South Khorasan Province, northeast Iran.
The state-run Mehr news agency is reporting that the province of Kerman in south-central Iran has entered a dangerous phase. “Conditions in Kerman can now be described as alarming because we currently have a few hundred people suspicious of being infected with COVID-19,” the deputy dean of Kerman Medical Sciences University said, according to state-run Mehr news agency.
