Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 23, 2020—More than 10,500 people have died of coronavirus in 212 cities across all of Iran’s 31 provinces as of Monday afternoon local time, March 23, according to the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Over 600 people have died of COVID-19 in the city of Isfahan and more than 500 in Kashan, adding to more than 1,262 victims in Isfahan Province. The death toll in various provinces includes: 872 in Khorasan Razavi; 536 in Golestan; 369 in Khuzestan; 160 in Ardabil; 83 in Zanjan; 41 in Kohgiluyeh & Buyer Ahmed and 40 in Semnan. This is in addition to the atrocious death toll in other provinces.
Physicians in Gilan Province, northern Iran, are reporting that many of the individuals released from hospitals have died in their homes in a matter of just one week. However, they have not been accounted for in the official coronavirus death toll.
Dr. Zali, head of the Tehran Counter Coronavirus Department says there has been a five percent increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in medical centers and a 12 percent increase in chronic cases in need of being hospitalized. The sound of ambulance sirens is heard constantly in various parts of Tehran and other cities.
All the while, the mullahs’ regime is going the distance to keep a lid on the number of COVID-19 victims and has launched a wave of arrests in various cities under the pretext of confronting people who are spreading rumors and publishing fake news about coronavirus.
On March 22, Nasser Khodayari, representative of the Ministry of Guidance, in a meeting of the Counter Coronavirus Department in West Azerbaijan Province, said that nine individuals involved in spreading rumors have been arrested.
Hossein Shahriar, head of state police in Maku, northwest Iran, said individuals who insult state officials on the internet will be arrested. Any offense against officials and publishing what the regime considers "fake news" (about COVID-19) will be considered a crime and FATA (Iran’s internet police) will be taking legal action against those involved. A number of people have been arrested in Isfahan, central Iran, under these bogus pretexts.
Houshang Hosseini, head of state police in in Ardabil Province, northwest Iran, said 11 individuals have been arrested for spreading rumors and fake news on the internet about COVID-19.
Furthermore, the classic army in Iran has received orders from the regime’s Armed Forces Headquarters to carry out biologic military drills. These orders, obviously coming directly from Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, come just one day after he accused the United States of producing and exporting coronavirus. It is now obvious that those remarks were aimed at preparing the grounds for a new wave of domestic crackdown.
In other news, Majlis (parliament) speaker Ali Larijani said “a large number” of MPs have tested positive for COVID-19. This further indicates that regime officials and authorities have lost control and cannot contain the virus.
Citizen report:
Monday, March 23 – A citizen from Karaj, west of Tehran
“… My sister showed signs of coronavirus and she was transferred to the civil hospital, known previously as Sheer-o Khorsheed Hospital. One of the hospital staff who apparently knew us told my brother-in-law to take her back home. There are many sick people here and our supplies and equipment are very low. Take her home, keep her in quarantine and carry out the doctor’s orders given to you by telephone.”
Reports from Gilan Province, northern Iran, indicate the governor’s staff are holding sessions for two days now to decide where to bury COVID-19 victims because they have no place to bury them. There are measures being taken to transfer them to other cities. They are discussing the cities of Qazvin and Karaj as options. Of course, they will be spreading the illness to other cities.
A report from Qom, one of the main coronavirus hotspots in Iran, indicates 40 physicians and 130 nurses have been infected with COVID-19. Fifteen of the infected physicians were hospitalized and one is being held in an ICU section. Furthermore, three of the 130 nurses are hospitalized.
A citizen from Karaj said, “People in the U.S., Spain or France may be receiving portions of their normal income…. That’s not the case in Iran. Ordinary workers, employees and those selling goods on the streets, they don’t receive any such paychecks… And by the way, those countries don’t demand monthly water, electricity and telephone bills. If we don’t pay these bills here, these services will be cut off… We’re out of money. Is there any work. Is there a government?… Will the government provide us with any money? …”
One citizen from Ardabil, northwest Iran, said on Sunday, March 23, that the situation in this city is very dire due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Locals in various villages have taken matters into their own hands and closed their entrances. There are no COVID-19 test kits in Ardabil or its local villages. All the samples are sent to Tabriz, another city in northwest Iran. There have been cases that the tested patients have died before their results have returned.
A citizen from Najafabad, central Iran, said on Sunday, March 22, “My son checked around ten drug stores, and none had masks. Its interesting that all the make-up and hygiene stores have masks and have no other shortages… Locals are truly abiding by hygiene protocols. From 11 am to 3 pm I toured the entire city and I saw less than 50 people in the streets… All these reports that the people are not abiding by hygiene protocols are lies.”
Another citizen from the city of Mashhad, northeast Iran, said on Sunday, March 22, that due to coronavirus all the stores and main tourist sites are closed. This will continue until around April 21. The Imam Reza Shrine is also closed. “This is a strange year. I believe we will be witnessing many developments that will change the fate of the Iranian nation. We should prepare for a very defining year,” one individual said.
A report from the city of Amol in northern Iran, indicates that six physicians by the names of Seyed Mozzaffar Rabie, Dr. Samadi, Dr. Nirouie, Dr. Ibrahim-nezhad, Dr. Tusan and Dr. Babazadeh, along with four staff members of the Amol Medical Sciences University, have all lost their lives to COVID-19. The virus expanded to Amol due to tourists form the city of Qom.
