Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the outbreak of the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps traveling and ignoring health guidance.
Roughly nine out of 10 of the over 18,000 cases of the new virus confirmed across the
Middle East come from
Iran, where authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed.
Officials have now implemented new checks for people trying to leave major cities ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but have hesitated to quarantine the areas.