Iranian women in Tehran, October 4, 2020 (Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani says recent Coronavirus restrictions will be eased, amid a 20% drop in the record-setting surge of deaths.

Rouhani told the National Coroanvirus Task Force on Tuesday that the capital Tehran will be moved from “red zone” to “orange zone” status this weekend.

In an orange zone, 50% of employees may travel to work, compared to 33% in a red zone.

All shops in Tehran, including the Grand Bazaar, were ordered on November 21 to close for two weeks. Only supermarkets, bakeries, food stores, and pharmacies remained open.

A week earlier, Rouhani announced an 8-point plan to enforce social distancing with the closure of businesses and public spaces in the worst-affected cities.

Iran recorded 362 deaths on Wednesday, after a record-setting 483 on 24 November. The rate is still more than double the 179 on October 3, amid an official total of 48,990 fatalities.

Confirmed cases are 989,527 with 13,621 yesterday, about 3% below the record of 14,051 on November 27. More than 5,800 patients are in intensive care.

Rouhani enjoined Iranians to continue observing social distancing and health protocols to avoid a reimposition of measures, and pledged enforcement of remaining restrictions: “The headquarters of the Task Force must work seriously on the fines and its announcement to the public, in which no negligence will be accepted.”

The Task Force agreed to continue 9 am to 4 pm curfews on travel in red zones and in orange-zone cities with more than 200,000 population.