Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, February 29, 2020—Until Saturday evening, over 500 people have died to the coronavirus in Iran, according to the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) citing sources inside the country. This includes 114 in Qom, the epicenter of Iran’s coronavirus outbreak, 30 in Tehran, 22 in Kashan, 21 in Isfahan, 18 in Rasht and 14 in Arak. Regime officials are going the distance to keep a lid on the true number of coronavirus deaths and infected individuals.
More than 300 people have died of the #coronavirus in #Iran, says opposition PMOI/MEK citing sources inside Iran.
Iranian MP Bahram Parsaei: "I went to all drug stores from north to south of Tehran. Not one was selling hand sterilizing gels, masks, rubbing alcohol or gloves." pic.twitter.com/bcri9vLMGK
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 29, 2020
“Nevertheless, by engaging in cover-up and deception, the clerical regime continues to claim that 34 have died and 388 have contracted the virus,” according to a statement issued by the Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
There are also coronavirus deaths reported in the cities of Mashhad, Kermanshah, Karaj, Lahijan, Semnan, Bandar Abbas, Yazd, Ilam, Yasuj, Khorramabad, Hamedan Neyshabur, Homayounshahr, Najaf Abad and many other cities and towns across the country.
All the while, flights to China by Iran’s Mahan Air, an airliner associated to the terrorist-designated Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), continued on Friday, February 28. Reports in this regard have forced regime officials into claiming these flights are only transferring coronavirus test kits from China to Iran.
Senior officials are desperate to not reveal the true number of coronavirus deaths and positive cases, and regime president Hassan Rouhani ridiculously had claimed that conditions will return to normal by Saturday.
Mid-level regime officials, however, are voicing grave concerns and shedding light on merely the tip of the iceberg of Iran’s coronavirus outbreak crisis.
Iran coronavirus outbreak: Deadly virus spreads across country, claims more lives#Iran#coronavirushttps://t.co/p0YFyzxMuP
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 28, 2020
Earlier this week a member of the regime’s Majlis from the city of Qom reported 50 coronavirus deaths in his city alone and challenged Health Ministry officials in this regard.
Other officials are also touching on this very sensitive subject.
“The number of coronavirus cases could be 10,00 to 15,000 people. Some may be infected with the virus without being aware,” said Nahid Khodakarami, head of the Tehran City Council Health Committee.
The Wall Street Journal published a piece saying tens of thousands of people in Iran are infected with the coronavirus.
Gholamali Jafarzadeh Imenabadi, an MP from the city of Rasht in northern Iran, also took to public remarks regarding the coronavirus crisis spreading dangerously throughout the country. Statistics are “catastrophic” in the cemeteries regarding the number of coronavirus fatalities and he claimed to have such information available.
“Unfortunately, the true statistics are constantly being kept from the public. I am saying it crystal clear that the numbers provided so far are still not the real statistics… Can we hide the cemeteries? Anyhow, we have reports from cemeteries and friends indicating catastrophic numbers that cannot be kept secret. I have statistics from cemeteries in Rasht regarding coronavirus deaths and I must say that the real numbers are far higher than what we are being provided,” he said.
Hamid Sharifi Moghadam, head of the regime’s House of Nurses said they are forbidden from providing the true number of nurses infected by the coronavirus, adding these statistics are considered a security priority.
"I went to all drug stores from north to south of Tehran. Not one was selling hand sterilizing gels, masks, rubbing alcohol or gloves,” said regime MP Bahram Parsaei.
Massoud Pezeshkian, deputy speaker of the regime’s Majlis (parliament), is warning that the coronavirus outbreak in Iran is out of control Tehran should be asking for assistance from international organizations such as the World Health Organization to gain control over this crisis.
If the status quo continues Iran’s medical facilities lack the capacity to address the number of coronavirus patients, he added. Iran will be facing a significant crisis if the country’s medical staff is engulfed with this illness, Pezehskian continued.
The Majlis deputy speaker has placed a request to the Supreme National Security Council to get involved in confronting this virus, warning that regime officials should have seriously pursued the issue of quarantining and controlling the spread of this virus from day one.
Official reports indicate that Mohammad Ali Ramezani Dastak, an MP from Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh of Gilan Province in northern Iran, died from the coronavirus.
Reports also indicate that Mohammad Reza Shafie, a former Majlis member from the cities of Fomen and Shafat, died from the coronavirus on Wednesday, February 26.
It is worth noting that scientists and doctors of University of Toronto have published an article estimating that it is statistically possible that 18,000 people are infected across Iran based on Coronavirus cases spreading across the globe from this country.
“Given the low volumes of air travel to countries with identified cases of COVID-19 with origin in Iran (such as Canada), it is likely that Iran is currently experiencing a COVID-19 epidemic of significant size for such exportations to be occurring”, the research paper says.
Iranian opposition NCRI President Maryam Rajavi condemned the mullahs’ failures in addressing the country’s catastrophes.
“Under the mullahs’ rule, every natural calamity and every preventable problem from the Coronavirus (COVID19) to floods to earthquakes, turn into a major disaster,” Madam Rajavi said.
Under the mullahs’ rule, every natural calamity and every preventable problem from the #Coronavirus (#COVID19) to floods to earthquakes, turn into a major disaster. #Iran pic.twitter.com/g1xbL5aAeb
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 28, 2020
