Azadi Square in Tehran, Iran, under Coronavirus curfew conditions
With Coronavirus surging at a record level in Iran, authorities have imposed nighttime curfews in the capital Tehran and more than 100 other cities.
The cities are classified as “red zones” as cases have soared from 4,000 per day — already a record for the pandemic — to 13,421 on Wednesday. A record toll of 486 deaths was recorded last Monday, up from about 200 per day in early October.
The curfew on motorists is from 9 pm to 4 am.
Last week President Hassan Rouhani, who has held out against lockdowns to deal with the surge, announced an eight-point plan to enforce social distancing with the closure of businesses and public spaces in the worst-affected cities.
See UPDATED: President Rouhani’s Limited 8-Point Plan for Iran’s Record Coronavirus Surge
All shops in Tehran, including the Grand Bazaar, have been ordered to close for two weeks. Only supermarkets, bakeries, food stores, and pharmacies may remain open.
In red zones, only 1/3 of employees will travel to work, while in orange zones, covering another 150 cities, the proportion is 50%.