President Hassan Rouhani insists on ending the coronavirus-related restrictions and advocates resumption of economic activities in opposition to the Health Ministry which has kept warning the deadly virus outbreak cannot be controlled without such restrictions, Radip Farda reports.
Critics accuse the administration of putting the economy before people's health. President Rouhani dismisses this allegation and insists that imposing strict lockdown regulations will harm more people with subsistence problems than coronavirus infection. According to a recent poll by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA), 70 percent of Tehran residents say they were already not able to cope financially or could only last for a maximum of two months on their savings.
On Sunday Rouhani said traveling within the borders of each province -- but not between provinces -- was now allowed and that governors of provinces and cities have no authority to impose their own lockdowns.
Speaking at the meeting of the National Coronavirus Management and Combat Taskforce, Rouhani also promised that from April 20 roads connecting provinces will be opened to traffic. He advised people to use private transportation or taxis instead of public transport in larger cities. Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi on April 11, had said more than 25% of all coronavirus victims in Iran contracted the virus in public transport such as buses and the metro.
Rouhani has maintained that the next step will be "smart social distancing", a plan devised in conformity with "the Iranian lifestyle and domestic patterns" and the principles formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Details of the plan have not been revealed yet.
