Coronavirus halves road accident casualties in Iran

TEHRAN – Traffic-related accidents and mortalities have decreased by 50 percent over the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-June 20) compared to the same period last year due to the outbreak of coronavirus which has slashed travels across the country.

Cross-border trade running despite coronavirus pandemic

TEHRAN- The spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) said that Iran’s trade is running through the borders with the neighboring countries except for two neighbors.

U.S. political approach fails in global coronavirus fight, Iran says

TEHRAN – The United States has practically failed in the fight against COVID-19 by taking a political approach toward the global crisis, said Iranian Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari.

450 knowledge-based companies producing anti-corona equipment

TEHRAN – About 450 knowledge-based companies are active in the country for manufacturing protective equipment and treatment products to fight the coronavirus, Mehdi Kashmiri, director for technology and planning at the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, said.

Iran, Australia share experience on fight against coronavirus, wildfires

TEHRAN – Karim Hemmati, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), and Lyndall Sachs, the Australian Ambassador to Iran, discussed ways to expand cooperation through exchanging experience on battling COVID-19 and wildfires.

COVID-19 rings alarm bells in Iran as daily deaths surge to 200

TEHRAN – The number of daily COVID-19 mortalities in the country hit a new record high of 200 on Tuesday and the total number of deaths reached 11,931, as officials warn of an alarming situation in the days ahead.

Lorestan province to hold fam tour despite pandemic

TEHRAN – Lorestan tourism department is scheduled to hold a familiarization tour in a bid to promote traveling to the western province.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Health network playing a key role in fighting coronavirus

TEHRAN - Jafar Sadeq Tabrizi, the director of health network department at the Ministry of Health, has said the health network has been playing a key role in fighting the coronavirus pandemic mostly through holding seminars, equipping medical centers, and implementing screening tests and family physician programs across the country.

Rise of coronavirus deaths in Iran worrisome

TEHRAN – The COVID-19 new cases and mortality in the country show an alarming increase in comparison to previous days, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari has said.

Iran makes face mask compulsory to contain pandemic

TEHRAN – In an attempt to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, wearing face masks has been made mandatory in public and crowded places, ISNA news agency reported.

Luka Bonacic returns to Zob Ahan

TEHRAN – Luka Bonacic has returned to Iran once again. The 65-year-old Croat has been appointed as Zob Ahan coach for rest of Iran Professional League (IPL) season.

The Bahamas to lift travel restrictions for Iran

TEHRAN - The Bahamas is scheduled to lift travel restrictions from Iran and other previously excluded countries such as China, the Republic of Korea, and some European states, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

Coronavirus: 110 Iranians return home from Tajikistan

TEHRAN – A flight taken to Tajikistan brought back 110 Iranians to the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, IRIB news agency reported on Thursday.

FFIRI responds to four clubs over coronavirus concerns

TEHRAN - Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), in a statement, responded to four Iran Professional League (IPL) teams’ claims about the resumption of the matches, insisted that the four teams are not allowed to decide for 140 teams in the different leagues of the Iranian football.

Kindergartens reopen after 4 months of lockdown

TEHRAN – After four-months of lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, kindergartens across the country began their activities observing social distancing rules and health protocols, Mehr reported.

Monthly non-oil exports improve 60% as pandemic restrictions ease

TEHRAN - Head of Iran Export Confederation Mohammad Lahouti says the country’s export has improved in the recent weeks following the removal of some corona-related restrictions in the borders, IRIB reported on Wednesday.

Iran, an exporter of anti-corona medical items

TEHRAN - Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Farhad Dejpasand said despite the great demand for anti-corona medical items in the early days of the pandemic, Iran has become an exporter of such products.

Why COVID-19 claims fewer lives in Iran compared to many other countries?

TEHRAN – Fortunately, compared to many countries in the world, the mortality rate of coronavirus in Iran is significantly lower than in many developed countries, Ehsan Mostafavi, director of the research center for emerging and re-emerging diseases of the Pasteur Institute of Iran has said.

Kindergartens to reopen under health protocols amid pandemic

TEHRAN – Kindergartens across the country will reopen on June 13 observing health protocols with a maximum capacity of 50 percent with the priority given to children of working parents.

Iran’s Mehran border crossing with Iraq reopened

TEHRAN - Iran's Mehran crossing on the border with Iraq, which had been closed since early March due to the outbreak of coronavirus, was reopened on Monday, ISNA reported, quoting the spokesman of Islamic Republic of Iran's Customs Administration (IRICA).

World Milk Day: drink healthy milk, fight coronavirus

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Health has called on people to join celebrating the World Milk Day 2020 with the slogan “drink healthy milk, fight coronavirus”.

Mustafa Prize convenes experts to discuss coronavirus

TEHRAN - Prominent Muslim scientists and health experts from over ten countries worldwide met virtually on Thursday within the framework of the 7th Science and Technology Exchange Program (STEP) to address scientific and technological collaboration in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

‘Sympathetic Iran’ donates $35m to families affected by COVID-19

TEHRAN – A national campaign called Iran-e Hamdel (literally meaning sympathetic Iran) has collected 1.5 trillion rials (nearly $35 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) to help the financially struggling families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Iran sends anti-corona medical supplies to Afghanistan

TEHRAN – A plane carrying medical aid provided by Iranian people and the private sector landed at Kabul airport on Tuesday, IRNA news agency reported.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Learning from each other – Iran’s COVID-19 experiences should be shared: WHO’s Hamelmann

TEHRAN – Iran is benefiting from strengths in fighting against the coronavirus epidemic, including strong primary health care system, production surge in a reasonable time, and multisectoral response, WHO Representative in Iran, Dr. Christoph Hamelmann, said in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times.

Imam Reza holy shrine reopens as virus restrictions eased

TEHRAN – Iran on Monday reopened the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) after more than two months of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, IRNA news agency reported.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran tourism industry to rebound sooner than expected: deputy minister

TEHRAN – The tourism industry of Iran will get back on the right track sooner than expected thanks to measures taken to tackle the spread of coronavirus, deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri has said.

Tourism ministry issues guideline to curb pandemic as travels seen to rise

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has issued a guideline comprising health protocols to lessen coronavirus pandemic as many families are expected to start domestic travels during the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holidays (May 24 and 25).

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Why Iran, unlike others, held mass prayers successfully amid pandemic?

TEHRAN – With the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, the governments around the world announced restrictions on social and religious gatherings, but some religious people started to violate the rules endangering others’ lives. However, Iranians reacted positively and observed health protocols outlined by the government standards even during Ahya nights.

Health ministry gets $995m to counter COVID-19

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Health has received 41 trillion rials (over $995 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) to combat the coronavirus pandemic throughout the country, IRNA news agency reported on Friday.