Earlier in the day, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo accused Iran of concealing important information regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, saying that Tehran has the largest death toll caused by the virus after Beijing.
"It is planned that the #MaximumPressure strategy against #Iran to be completed with the term ‘#Coronavirus’. Psychological pressure on countries to close their land and air routes and propagating lies is the new roadmap," Shamkhani wrote on Twitter.
Iranian women wearing protective masks to prevent contracting a coronavirus walk at Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran February 20, 2020.
© REUTERS / WANA NEWS AGENCY
Meanwhile, spokesman for the Health Ministry Kianush Jahanpur said that the total number of people infected with COVID-19 across Iran had risen to 95, up 34 cases from the previous day, and that 15 of those infected had died. At the same time, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Tehran was close to gaining control over the COVID-19 epidemic, while "enemies" of Iran were trying to instill fear in society.
