Iran shuts down commercial centres in Tehran amid Covid-19 outbreak

A father walking with his child along a deserted street during a curfew imposed as a measure to stem the spread of the Covid-19 in Iraq's southern city of Basra on Sunday (March 22). Basra governor announced a curfew in the southern province bordering Iran. All together, more than half of the 18 Iraqi provinces announced curfews for several days in hope it could contain the outbreak.- AFP

TEHERAN: The Iranian authorities on Sunday (March 22) ordered the closure of commercial centres in the capital Tehran amid the challenges of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak spread.

Only convenience stores and pharmacies are allowed to stay open in Tehran and any business that disregards the new order will be punished, Hamidreza Goudarzi, deputy governor of Teheran Province, was quoted as saying by state TV.