Iran’s Khamenei warns economy will worsen if virus spreads further

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warns the country’s economic problems will worsen if the novel coronavirus spreads unchecked, as the government launches a mask-wearing campaign.

The Islamic Republic has struggled to curb the COVID-19 outbreak since it reported its first cases in the Shiite holy city of Qom in February.

It shut down non-essential businesses, closed schools and cancelled public events in March, but gradually lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen the country’s sanctions-hit economy.

“It is correct to say that something must be done to prevent economic problems caused by the coronavirus,” says Khamenei.

“But in the case of negligence and significant spread of the disease, economic problems will increase, too,” he says, according to his official website.

The Iranian rial has plunged to new lows against the US dollar in recent days due to the temporary economic shutdown, border closures and halt in non-oil exports, according to analysts.

Iran’s economic problems had already worsened since 2018, when US President Donald Trump withdrew the United Stattes from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic republic, targeting vital oil sales and banking facilities.

Those woes have been exacerbated by the country’s coronavirus outbreak.

Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari says today there have been 2,456 new confirmed coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, raising the country’s caseload to 220,180.

Lari adds in televised remarks that 125 of those infected had died during the same period, with overall fatalities reaching 10,364.

— AFP