World news: ‘Low-risk’ businesses in Iran will start operating within a week, Rouhani says

Some commerce and industries in Iran will likely be able to resume activities in a week’s time, President Hassan Rouhani has announced, signaling that the Islamic Republic has survived the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Under the supervision of the Health Ministry, all those low-risk economic activities will resume from Saturday,” Rouhani said in a televised meeting.

He added that two-thirds of Iranian government employees will work from their offices starting next weekend, adding that the easing of anti-coronavirus measures does not conflict with the country’s health advisories.

Businesses deemed “high-risk” for Covid-19, as well as most of the education sector, will not resume operations until the end of April, Rouhani said.

Iran has suffered nearly 3,500 deaths from the pandemic, and has registered more than 19,700 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.