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Iran Says It’s Ready to Re-Open April 11 After Covid Lockdown

Iran’s president said Saturday that low-risk economic activities would start again April 11 and high-risk activities could open after April 18.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani announced Sunday that “low-risk” economic actives will resume on Saturday, April 11, after a nation-wide lockdown over the spread of coronavirus. Iran, debilitated by sanctions, has been one of the hardest hit Middle Eastern nations in the pandemic. Rouhani said that “high-risk” activities could open on April 18. “Under the supervision of the health ministry, all those low-risk economic activities will resume from Saturday,” Rouhani said in a televised address on Sunday. “Two-thirds of all Iranian government employees will work out of the office from Saturday...The decision does not contradict stay at home advice by the health authorities.” Rouhani did not clarify if religious events, schools, universities and social and cultural events are considered high or low risk. Iran’s health minister said that the country’s death toll from COVID-19 had reached 3,603 and that 58,226 people had been invected with the virus since the outbreak began last month.