Continued Cover-Up of Coronavirus Statistics in Iran; Death Toll ‘Unknown’ in Some Provinces

While death toll statistics in some provinces are still not being transparently disclosed by authorities, the Ministry of Health has reported 92 coronavirus deaths in Iran.

Kianush Jahanpour, head of the Public Relations Center of the Ministry of Health, said on Wednesday, the 14th of Esfand, that so far 2,922 people in Iran have been infected with coronavirus, of which 92 have died and 552 have recovered.

Based on this, the highest number of cases are in Tehran with 253 people, Qom with 101 people, and Gilan with 35 people. However, this Health Ministry official did not disclose which provinces the deaths belong to.

Criticism of transparency in reporting has intensified as Masoud Pezeshkian, Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, has also questioned the accuracy of coronavirus case numbers in Iran and stated that the coronavirus has been taken “lightly” in Iran.

The representative of Rasht in parliament also considered the death toll statistics from the Ministry of Health “something like a joke” and described the situation in Gilan as severe.

However, the IRNA news agency published a report from medical science officials in the provinces until noon on Wednesday, the 14th of Esfand, which shows that the number of deaths in Tehran, Qom, and Gilan provinces is still unclear. This comes despite the fact that these three provinces have the highest number of coronavirus cases.

While the total number of deaths was reported as 71, the Ministry of Health announced this figure as 92 at noon today. The previous Ministry of Health figure was also 77, which again differs from the statistics of medical science universities.

Despite all these statistical discrepancies and criticism, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, on Tuesday characterized the information released by Islamic Republic officials about the coronavirus in Iran as honest and transparent, stating that some other countries where the disease is more severe are engaged in cover-ups.

This is while many believe that information about coronavirus infection in Iran was released late due to its coincidence with the parliamentary elections of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and therefore the infection spread rapidly.

The outbreak of this virus near Nowruz has also created problems for the tourism industry in Iran.

With the continued upward trend of coronavirus in Iran, officials in Isfahan province announced a ban on tourists entering the historic village of Abyaneh and accommodation of travelers in the province. The governor of Isfahan announced on Wednesday, the 14th of Esfand, that this year there is no possibility of accommodating and housing Nowruz tourists in camps, schools, stadiums, hostels, guesthouses, and the like. The head of the Islamic Council of the historic village of Abyaneh also said that entry of tourists to Abyaneh is banned until further notice.

Jamshid Hamzazadeh, head of Iran’s Professional Association of Hotel Owners, also said on Wednesday, the 14th of Esfand, that the occupancy rate of hotels across Iran has dropped below 5 percent and the damage to hoteliers will amount to hundreds of billions of tomans.

On the other hand, after concerns about the spread of coronavirus in Mashhad intensified, the director-general of Roads and Road Transportation of Razavi Khorasan on Wednesday, the 13th of Esfand, only announced that in-person ticket sales for buses to passengers at Mashhad bus terminal would not be conducted, while road trips in the province continue.

Despite the spread of coronavirus in several Iranian cities, religious leaders and security institutions in the cities of Qom and Mashhad have not yet agreed to close religious sites. This is while almost all countries in the world have taken the danger of this virus very seriously. For example, Saudi Arabia has even suspended Umrah pilgrimage for its own citizens and residents.

Public opinion in Iran is concerned about the cover-ups by Iranian authorities. The first death from coronavirus was reported on the first day of Esfand, while before that, authorities were denying any cases of coronavirus in Iran.

Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, on Friday, the 9th of Esfand, in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, given the track record of cover-ups by Islamic Republic officials, said that the Iranian regime is unwilling to disclose information about the spread of the coronavirus, and I am concerned that they have hidden important information.

This is the second time the U.S. Secretary of State has expressed concern about a possible cover-up by Iranian officials. Mike Pompeo had also warned last week that the United States is concerned about the cover-up by Islamic Republic officials regarding the spread of coronavirus.

The United States announced on Thursday that it has issued exemptions from Iran sanctions, allowing the Central Bank of Iran to conduct transfers for some humanitarian services.

Source: Voice of America