Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, April 20, 2020—Over 32,800 people have died of the novel coronavirus in 294 cities checkered across all of Iran’s 31 provinces, according to reports tallied by the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) as of Monday afternoon local time, April 20. The official death count declared by the regime is 5,209, less than a sixth of the actual figure.
The death toll in various provinces include: 5,550 in Tehran, 2,595 in Razavi Khorasan, 2,170 in Mazandaran, 1,450 in Khuzestan, 1,240 in East Azerbaijan, 990 in West Azerbaijan, 738 in Lorestan, 510 in Markazi (Central), 250 in Bushehr and 185 in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmed. This is in addition to figures tallied from other provinces.
Over 32,800 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran
In recent days the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the cities of Urmia, Bukan, Sardasht and Piranshahr, all in northwest Iran, have been escalating, according to reports from medical staff members and eyewitnesses in hospitals, along with cemetery officials. Urmia cemetery staff have been working day and night during the past seven days and are under excruciating pressures.
In Tabriz, northwest Iran, a large number of COVID-19 cases have died in their homes. A number of physicians, pursuing their own interests and under the demands and knowledge of regime officials, are registering death certificates citing reasons of death other than coronavirus. There are cases where even local health department officials are not informed.
During the past two days at least 30 individuals have been buried under such circumstances. The Razi, Imam Reza, Shohada and Sina hospitals in Tabriz are filled with COVID-19 patients. Locals are extremely concerned that senior regime officials ordering people back to work and commuting between provinces to be permitted as before will all cause a new wave of coronavirus cases and deaths.
Physicians in the city of Shiraz, south-central Iran, the number of COVID-19 deaths in the past few days have increased, and dozens of people have died in Ali Asghar Hospital.
On the other hand, concerns over social protests and calls on the economic cartels controlled by Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) are increasing. “It must be clarified that institutions such as the Mostazafan Foundation, that are named for the poor and need, are doing anything for this branch of society or not,” said Parvaneh Salahshouri, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) on Monday, April 20, according to the regime’s official ILNA news agency. “Truly there is nothing left of religion other than its face because today we are not abiding by religious teachings. In our current circumstances it is an obligation for those in power to use whatever they have in state belongings for the nation. Of course, I must say that state assets do not consist of just the treasury. It also includes companies that no one has any access to and actually have massive incomes… Mr. Naghavian once said during an interview that 60 percent of the country’s budget is controlled by these people. If true, we should have made decisions about them in the past,” she added.
The state-run Mostaghel wrote: “What the people and some officials have referred to time and again is the lack of leveraging wealthy institutions that… can quickly help overcome the coronavirus and prevent crises that might befall the country and the establishment if the current situation continues. These are problems and crises that will be much harder to solve than the November 2019 [protests].”
The state-run Hamdeli wrote: “The Islamic Republic will face tough and probably violent crises, and widespread protests will resurge.”
Resalat, another government-run newspaper, wrote: “The coronavirus outbreak has had a greater impact on the impoverished segments of the society. Presently, the bankruptcy of low-income families has begun, and in the post-coronavirus era, inequalities and gaps will widen. New social gaps will emerge, new people will join the deprived classes. Finally, development, security, and human and social assets will greatly decrease in the nation.”
Despite the critical circumstances, the regime will not relinquish repression and violence. Iranian authorities are planning to execute seven prisoners in Sanandaj prison, including an inmate who had escaped the prison during the recent riot in the facility. In Urmia, at least eight inmates have contracted coronavirus in recent days.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), reiterated that the mullahs’ regime has achieved nothing but repression and execution for the Iranian people, and to cause fear in the society it is executing prisoners instead of freeing them to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Mrs. Rajavi once again called on the international community, especially the UN Secretary General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, and the related Rapporteurs and other human rights bodies to immediately intervene to stop the executions and secure the release of prisoners to put an end to the human catastrophe in Iran’s prisons.
Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map
