Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 3, 2020—As of 8 pm local time on Monday, March 3, over 1,200 people have died across Iran due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI /MEK).
Reports show 300 dying in Qom, 215 in Tehran, 70 in Rasht, 12 in Lahijan, six in Astaneh, 60 in Mashhad, 43 in Isfahan, 23 in Kashan, 10 in Dastgerd, 54 in Gorgan, 45 in Arak, 45 in Kermanshah, 38 in Shiraz, 39 in Karaj, 23 in Khorramabad, 20 in Qazvin, 10 in Zahedan, 16 in Iranshahr, 12 in Boushehr, and more than 100 in Mazandaran province have lost their lives.
Over 1,200 people have died of the #coronavirus in #Iran, according to Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK sources.
This includes
Qom: 300
Tehran: 215
Mazandaran Province: +100
Rasht: 70
Mashhad: 60
Gorgan: 54
Arak: 45
Kermanshah: 45
Isfahan: 43
Karaj: 39
Shiraz: 38
Kashan: 23 pic.twitter.com/8HOITDNWVw— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 3, 2020
Numerous other deaths are being reported from other cities including Ardabil, Zanjan, Khorramdareh, Saqqez, Baneh, Azadshahr, Gonbad, Chaypareh, Urmia, Ilam, Samaleh, Salehshahr, Mahshahr, Ahvaz, Andimeshk, Sarbandar, Tabriz, Bonab, Saveh, Zarand, Qods, Najafabad, Homayounshahr, Kiashahr, Amlash, Siahkal, Yasuj, Malayer, Hamedan, Neyshabur, Kashmar, Eslamabad-e-Gharb, Nowshahr, Sorkheh Hesar, Semnan, Shahroud, Yazd, Buin Zahra, Takestan, and Bandar Abbas. Among those who have lost their lives to COVID-19 are activists and members of Resistance Units affiliated with the MEK, who rushed to provide aid to infected compatriots.
A new video on March 2 from a tabernacle in the city of Qom, known as the epicenter of Iran’s coronavirus epidemic, shows a large number of corpses and the voice of a man explaining that all of them have died of the coronavirus.
March 2 – Qom, central #Iran
Footage of a tabernacle showing many dead bodies.
Voice says all have died of the coronavirus.Reminder:
MEK sources have tallied over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths across the country. Regime continues to keep a lid on the truth.#CoronaOutbreak pic.twitter.com/mZQQ525B2h— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 3, 2020
UPDATE 11:00 PM CET:
Despite the outbreak spreading across the country, Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shamelessly said on Tuesday, “This is not such a major catastrophe and we have had more significant ones." This is a "passing issue" and it is nothing "exceptional,” he added. "Our officials have been informing the public since day one with confidence, honesty, and transparency and have kept the public informed, but some other countries where the virus outbreak is more severe and epidemic are concealing the issue."
Masoud Pezeshkian, first deputy speaker of regime’s Majlis (parliament) and former health minister acknowledged on Tuesday, "We should have quarantined the city of Qom (known as the epicenter of Iran’s coronavirus crisis) from day one… This disease is not a joke… Hospitals are overflowing and there is no room for more patients, and it will get worse day by day. The economy and everything will be ruined. This is no joke. What would have happened if they shut down the country for 15 days? (referring to the first outbreak in the city of Qom). If we did so on day one, it would not have spread to the entire country… The numbers given are not real, because a number of patients have no symptoms. We find 95 people and two die, then we say 2 have died out of a 100, while it may be that only 2% of 10,000 have died,” Pezeshkian said.
Bahram Parsai, a member of the regime’s Majlis, also voiced concerns today. "The reality is beyond the statistics… and if the world does not rush to the aid of our selfless doctors and medical staff, we will all lose."
The Resalat newspaper, an outlet close to Khamenei, wrote a piece shedding more light on the catastrophe in Iran. "We can’t just give false assurances and deny a virus outbreak until February 19, (two days before the regime’s sham parliamentary election) and then suddenly the day after start beating on the drum about how dangerous coronavirus is and the possibility of it spreading across the country."
Ebtekar daily, another state outlet in Iran, ran an editorial on March 2, acknowledging, "What makes each of these crises more critical and more catastrophic is the loss of the public’s trust."
Referring to Khamenei’s disgraceful remarks, NCRI President Maryam Rajavi said, “The only thing that matters for this regime and its officials is to keep their grip on power. People’s lives, health, and resources have no value for the ruling mullahs. The Iranian people have suffered the greatest damage and losses under their rule, as a result of external war, domestic repression, poverty, unemployment, and illnesses.”
UPDATE 5:30 PM CET:
Reports indicate at least six inmates in Tehran’s Evin Prison have been diagnosed with the coronavirus and one inmate in ward 4 of this facility has died of COVID-19.
An increase in the number of coronavirus patients in the city of Qom has hospitals reaching their full capacity. Authorities have reportedly been taking measures to launch field hospitals. These reports go against the regime’s claims of having the status quo under control and seriously question the official numbers of 77 deaths and over 2,336 infected patients across the country.
Even the regime’s deputy Majlis (parliament) speaker is saying 23 Majlis members have to this day tested positive for the coronavirus. Such developments are seen while the mullahs have allocated all the country’s medical resources for their officials and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
“Masks and antiseptic gels or sprays needed to address the coronavirus has become very scarce, says Javad Kazem Nasab, a member of the regime’s Majlis from Ahvaz.
19 individuals have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a report from Shahroud, a city east of Tehran. The second woman infected with COVID-19 has died and reports indicate she had previous illnesses.
Monday, March 2 – Report from Homayoun Shahr, central Iran
“For the first time authorities launched measures [to address the coronavirus] in Homayoun Shahr, which was quite ridiculous,” a local reported. “A number of vehicles along with the police were seen with their sirens on, to say what? That we are sanitizing the city. There were two vehicles with four large drums of water, and they were literally spraying water in the streets. Everyone was ridiculing them.”
12:00 PM CET:
Many reports from various prisons across the country indicate the coronavirus spreading to the Greater Tehran Prison in the Iranian capital, and the prisons of Gohardasht, Ghezel Hesar, Markazi (Central), Karaj, Urmia, Sheyban in Ahvaz and Kashan.
Political prisoner Amir Hossein Moradi, arrested during the November 2019 uprising and recently sentenced to death, is among the inmates now infected with the coronavirus. Two political prisoners in Sheyban prison of Ahvaz are diagnosed with the coronavirus and have been transferred to the facility’s quarantine section. There are no new reports of their conditions or whereabouts.
The situation of Iran's prisons has become a real source of worry.
Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), warned about the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) to prisons across Iran.
“Numerous reports indicate coronavirus has spread to Iran prisons. I urge the UN Secretary General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other relevant agencies to take urgent action to save the lives of Iranian prisoners and prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe. The regime's resort to a cover-up is a futile effort to thwart people’s protests and anger. I stress on the need for protests and strikes to the possible extent. Medical and healthcare facilities should be removed from the IRGC’s monopoly and provided to physicians, hospitals, and the public,” Madam Rajavi said.
Numerous reports indicate #Coronavirus has spread to #Iran prisons. I urge the UN Secretary General, the High Commissioner for #HumanRights, and other relevant agencies to take urgent action to save the lives of Iranian prisoners and prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe.
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 2, 2020
Head of the Golestan Medical Sciences University in northern Iran recently said he has been saying they had 594 coronavirus patients since day one, yet no official would listen.
“You can take samples from the middle of a patient’s tongue or the end of their throat. All those samples taken from the middle of their tongues will render negative results. That doesn’t mean the patient is not infected with COVID-19. I have been saying this since day one that we have 594 coronavirus patients… Yet the Health Ministry would reply no, your tests show negative and we will not send you any equipment… They kept on telling us to wait and wait, and then one day all of a sudden they said you are a [COVID-19] epicenter,” he explained.
All the while, Ali Rabie, spokesperson of the regime’s cabinet, literally said the “Islamic republic is the most transparent country on the spread of the coronavirus(!)”
“Unlike some other countries in this regard, we have not placed political and economic interests before the lives and safety of our people,” he added.
Of course, nothing else is expect from officials of a regime that constantly lied about the downing of the Ukrainian airliner in January and still refuses to publish the number of people killed during the November 2019 nationwide uprising.
