Leaders maintain upbeat tone as death toll continues to climb Iran

Iran’s leaders have vowed to overcome the coronavirus outbreak in upbeat messages marking the Persian New Year, even as the Health Ministry announced 149 more fatalities, bringing the country’s death toll to 1433.

Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the Middle East, with nearly 20,000 confirmed cases, and has been widely criticised for its slow response.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday called the new year ‘‘the year of leaps in production’’ in Iran’s economy, which has been under strain since United States President Donald Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 nuclear accord and imposed harsh new sanctions.

President Hassan Rouhani also marked the new year, known as Nowruz, by promising a better economy. ‘‘We will put the coronavirus behind us soon with unity, with hard work and with cooperation,’’ he said.

Rouhani has defended his government’s response to the pandemic in the face of widespread criticism that officials acted too slowly and may have even covered up initial cases before infections spread rapidly. He assured Iranians that the government would prioritise health in the coming year, and said it had stockpiled basic supplies.

Israel has reported more than 700 confirmed cases. Authorities yesterday reported its first death, an 88-year-old man with underlying health problems.

Jordan announced a total curfew starting yesterday, saying all shops will be closed.

In Iraq, which has one of the highest death rates in the region, authorities struggled to keep Shiite pilgrims from marking the annual commemoration of the death of Imam Mousa al-Kazim despite a week-long curfew in the capital, Baghdad.

Saudi Arabia announced that it would shut down domestic air travel, buses, taxis and trains for two weeks, starting yesterday. The monarchy has reported 274 confirmed cases, eight of whom recovered.