Iranian parliament reconvenes, votes to block total coronavirus lockdown

At least 31 members of parliament are reported to have contracted Covid-19.

On Tuesday, over two-thirds of the house’s 290 members gathered in the absence of speaker Ali Larjiani, who himself tested positive for coronavirus last week, according to local media.

Despite the stringent social distancing measures in place, state television footage showed groups of lawmakers breaching official guidelines, huddled together in groups.

Following a debate, to which cabinet members arrived an hour late, an urgent bill to implement a total lockdown was blocked on the grounds that it ''undermined the consitution'', Radio Farda report.

Opponents of the bill also claimed it would damage the economy.

''This plan is against jobs and growing productivity. Who’s going to pay for implementing it?'' MP Shadmehr Kazemzadeh said, according to semi-official news agency ISNA.

Yet Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh, who proposed the bill, said Iran was ''confused'' about how to contain the virus.

''We must urgently make a decision, as history will judge us,'' he said.

Iran, the Middle Eastern country worst hit by the pandemic, had ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses imposed inter-city travel bans until Sunday, when it suddenly announced that ''low-risk businesses'' would be allowed to reopen from April 11, subject to adhering to health protocols.

Two-thirds of public servants were also ordered to return to work.

Read more: Iran to start 'low risk' economic activities soon

The turnaround came despite medical experts' warnings that the trend of infection was still on the rise, and that the relaxing of measures could spark a second wave of contagion.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour reported 133 new coronavirus deaths, saying the overall fatalities had reached 3,872.

Another 2,089 infections were recorded nationwide, bringing the total to 62,589.

Iran announced its first COVID-19 cases on February 19, when it said two people had died from the illness.

Jahanpour said that while 3,987 patients were in critical condition, recoveries had increased and a total of 27,039 people had left hospital.

There has been mass speculation abroad that the real number of deaths and infections could be higher.

Agencies contributed to this report.