Iran mulls lifting Covid-19 restrictions as cases decline

Iran mulls lifting Covid-19 restrictions as cases decline
The Iranian health ministry said it will make its recommendation to lift restrictions, raising hopes of a relative return to normal life.
1 min read
11 October, 2021
Iran has been battling the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic [Getty]

Iran's health ministry has recommended the lifting of coronavirus restrictions from 23 October, local media have reported.

The ministry said it will make its recommendations to the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus (NTFFC), raising hope of a relative return to normal life.

New Deputy Health Minister for Health Affairs Kamal Heydari said that some restrictions will remain in place for those yet to be vaccinated, according to The Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (VIRI) radio.

Last month, Iran announced it will resume issuing visas to tourists from 23 October, after banning entry of foreign nationals for 19 months.

The country has been battling the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has recorded nearly 120,000 deaths from more than 5.5 million infections, according to the latest official figures, which the authorities admit are largely underestimated.

In recent weeks Iran's caseload has begun to decline, after peaking in August during what officials have called a "fifth wave" driven by the Delta variant.