DUBAI (REUTERS) - Iran may face a fifth wave of Covid-19 infections as the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus spreads through the Middle East's worst-hit country, President Hassan Rouhani warned on Saturday (July 3).
"There are concerns that the whole country may enter a fifth wave if enough care is not taken in following health protocols. Today, reports are that just 69 per cent of the people are observing the precautions," Mr Rouhani said in remarks broadcast on state TV.
"The Delta variant entered the country from the south and south-east, and we should have been careful to prevent its spread in the country. All health regulations... must be fully observed, otherwise we will have a problem," Mr Rouhani said.
Iran, with a population of 83 million, has recorded 84,627 deaths from Covid-19, the highest toll in the Middle East.
The health authorities have declared the capital Teheran and 91 other cities and towns as high-risk "red" zones, 30 more than a week ago. They are ordering internal travel restrictions, the closure of non-essential businesses and limiting work attendance to 30 percent of employees in the capital.
The government has blamed a slow vaccination drive on United States sanctions hampering efforts to buy foreign vaccines and on delays in deliveries.
Mr Rouhani said Iran has received a small portion of the 16.8 million vaccines it has ordered from the Covax global vaccine-sharing programme.
A spokesman for the coronavirus task force told state TV that seven million doses of vaccines have been distributed, with two million people receiving both doses and four million just one.
Iran has licensed for public use two locally produced vaccines, including one together with Cuba, and is working on five more homegrown vaccines. Teheran is also cooperating with Russia on producing the Sputnik V jab.
Food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies are exempt from US sanctions reimposed on Teheran in 2018 after then US President Donald Trump walked away from a 2015 international deal over Iran's nuclear programme.
But the US measures, which target sectors including oil and financial activities, have deterred some foreign banks from processing financial transactions with Iran. Teheran says this has frequently disrupted efforts to import essential medicines and other humanitarian items.
