Ayatollah’s adviser dies of coronavirus

Seyed Mohammad Mir-Mohammadi, a member of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s expediency discernment council, a body that advises Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, has died of coronavirus.

Mir-Mohammadi death comes two days after Mohammad Ali Dastak, an elected member of Iranian parliament, died of the disease which is spreading rapidly in the country.

Dastak, who was recently elected as the representative for Astana Ashrafieh, died on Saturday morning, a few days after he tested positive to the virus.

Masoumeh Ebtekar, Iran vice-president for women and affairs, and Iraj Harirchi, the country’s deputy health minister, have also  contracted the virus.

According to the Iranian government, over 40 people have died from the coronavirus disease but the BBC quoted sources as saying otherwise.

In a report, BBC cited sources as saying not less than 210 people infected with the coronavirus disease have died in the country.

Iran, the country with the fourth-highest number of cases in the world, has the highest number of coronavirus deaths outside China.

Iran cancelled Friday prayers to avoid an epidemic while officials urged residents to avoid travel within the country in order to curtail the spread of the virus. It also banned Chinese citizens from entering the country.

Coronavirus has killed over 3000 persons, while there are more than 8,8000 confirmed cases across the world.