Iran's president says economy is a factor in virus response

TEHRAN: Iran's president on Sunday lashed out at criticism of its lagging response to the worst Coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East as a "political war," saying he had to weigh protecting the economy while tackling the pandemic.

Hassan Rouhani said the government had to consider the effect of mass quarantine efforts on Iran's beleaguered economy, which is under heavy U.S. sanctions.

It's a dilemma playing out across the globe, as leaders struggle to strike a balance between containing the pandemic and preventing their economies from crashing.

Health is a principle for us, but the production and security of society is also a principle for us," Rouhani said at a Cabinet meeting.

We must put these principles together to reach a final decision." This is not the time to gather followers, he added.

This is not a time for political war. Even before the pandemic, Rouhani was under fire for the unraveling of the 2015 nuclear deal he concluded with the United States and other world powers.

President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement and has imposed crippling sanctions on Iran that prevent it from selling oil on international markets.

Iran reported another 139 deaths on Saturday, pushing the total number of fatalities to 2,517 amid 35,408 confirmed cases.

Most people suffer only minor symptoms, such as fever and coughing, and recover within a few weeks.

But the virus can cause severe illness and death, especially in elderly patients or those with underlying health problems. It is highly contagious, and can be spread by those showing no symptoms.

In recent days, Iran has ordered the closure of nonessential businesses and banned travel between cities.

But those measures came

long after other countries in the region imposed more sweeping

lockdowns.

Many Iranians are still flouting orders to stay home in what could reflect widespread distrust of authorities.