Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that 25 million Iranians have been infected with the coronavirus and that another 35 million are at risk of acquiring it.
The figures, which Rouhani said were based on a new Health Ministry report, are far higher Iran’s official toll of 269,440 infected. Rouhani in a televised speech did not address the discrepancy.
Iran, with a population of more than 80 million, has been the Middle East country hardest hit by the epidemic.
“Our estimate is that as of now 25 million Iranians have been infected with this virus and about 14,000 have lost their dear lives,” Rouhani said in the speech.
“There is the possibility that between 30 and 35 million other people will be at risk,” he said.
“In total, more than 200,000 people have been hospitalized,” he said.
The Health Ministry on Friday said 13,791 people had died from COVID-19.
29th April 2026
Morning Briefing
Labour's first proposals centre on families and first-time buyers Labour has launched its 2026 election campaign with a package of early proposals aimed at first-time...
28th April 2026
The European Parliament has overwhelmingly backed a call for a common definition of rape across the European Union, saying any sexual act without freely given and informed consent should...
29th April 2026
Morning Briefing
Labour's first proposals centre on families and first-time buyers Labour has launched its 2026 election campaign with a package of early proposals aimed at first-time...
28th April 2026
Morning Briefing
Malta set for 30th May General Election: Maltese voters will go to the polls on May 30 after Prime Minister Robert Abela called a general election nine months before ...
28th April 2026
The European Parliament has thrown its weight behind demands for a bigger long-term EU budget, approving its position for negotiations on the bloc’s next seven-year financial framework f...
25th April 2026
Disinformation is no longer spreading only through fringe actors or political agitators, but through a digital system that rewards outrage, sensationalism and engagement above accuracy, ...
28th April 2026
fthansa is introducing a new “Economy Basic” fare that offers Europe’s smallest free cabin‑bag allowance as the airline seeks to compete more aggressively with low‑cost carriers. The far...
28th April 2026
Malta Public Transport will be operating extended late-night services on the final night of the Malta International Fireworks Festival, scheduled for Thursday 30th April, ensuring specta...
14th April 2026
“A company’s workplace culture praised by management, needs to be taken with caution. But when the recognition comes directly from employees, that carries greater weight,” says JONATHAN ...
14th April 2026
EU lawmakers have approved new rules aimed at strengthening how failing banks are managed, extending protections to a wider range of institutions and depositors across the bloc.
The p...
28th April 2026
Malta Public Transport will be operating extended late-night services on the final night of the Malta International Fireworks Festival, scheduled for Thursday 30th April, ensuring specta...
17th April 2026
Malta Public Transport announces that it will be operating two additional evening trips between Mġarr and Nadur in Gozo on Saturday 18 April 2026 to facilitate passenger travel following...
20th April 2026
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained at a virtual standstill on Monday with just three crossings in the space of 12 hours, according to shipping data.
The oil prod...
14th April 2026
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, say Iran carries out more executions per capita than any other country, and more in total than any nation except China, where reliable fig...
25th February 2026
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
9th February 2026
María Corina Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition. She has reported that one of her closest associates, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was abducted. This occurred mere hours afte...
28th April 2026
Ukraine struck Russia’s oil infrastructure in the Black Sea port city of Tuapse for the third time in a month, local authorities said Tuesday.
The city, which declared an environmenta...
21st April 2026
Russian forces have taken 1,700 square km (656 square miles) of territory in Ukraine this year and are advancing on its so-called fortress belt in Donbas, Moscow's top general said whil...