Iranian Lawmaker Claims 50 Dead from Coronavirus Just in Qom

A member of Iran’s parliament insists there are far more coronavirus-related deaths in the country than authorities are letting on. Ahmad Amiriabadi Farahani, who represents Qom in the Majles, says the death toll in the Shi’ite holy city alone stands at 50, contradicting statistics from Iran’s Health Ministry, which, as of Monday morning, was saying that that 12 people were dead nationwide, most of them in Qom. “No one [else] is qualified to discuss this news at all,” Health Ministry spokesman Iraj Harirchi said in response, while raising the number of confirmed cases in the country from 47 to 61 and adding that there are an additional 900 suspected cases. Farahani also insists that authorities knew about the first deaths as early as February 13 although official word came only six days later. “I believe the [national] administration’s performance in controlling the virus has not been successful,” he was quoted as saying in local media reports after speaking earlier on Monday in parliament.