Iran will introduce new COVID-19 restrictions from November 21, with some measures remaining in place until the end of the pandemic, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday.
"Now we are in such conditions that unfortunately force us to increase the number of restrictions. From Saturday next week, that is, from November 21, a project that will cover not just one province, but the entire country, will start operating," Rouhani said during a meeting of the COVID-19 response center, as broadcast on Iranian television.
The president also said that the project envisions keeping some COVID-19 measures until the coronavirus "ends."
Meanwhile, Alireza Raisi, a spokesman for the country’s COVID-19 response center, revealed the details of the plan — the project envisions dividing the country, according to the infection rate, into orange, yellow and red zones, and the introduction of different restrictions.
Most businesses will be banned in yellow and red zones, where only essential activities will be allowed. At the same time, only religious, sports and entertainment events will be restricted in yellow zones. Raisi specified that Tehran will be a red zone.
To date, Iran has confirmed nearly 750,000 COVID-19 cases, including over 552,000 recoveries and more than 71,000 deaths. Over the past 24 hours, the country registered 11,203 new cases and 452 related fatalities.
