Iran's parliament speaker said Wednesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, joining a growing list of top Iranian officials infected in the Middle East's worst outbreak.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf tweeted that he received the news after one of his colleagues tested positive for the virus. He said he would continue to carry out his duties from self-quarantine. Earlier this month, he was on state TV visiting a coronavirus ward in one of capital's overwhelmed hospitals to show support.
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Iran emerged early on as a global epicenter of the pandemic and has struggled to stop the virus' rapid spread. The government, desperate to salvage an economy reeling from severe American sanctions, has been loath to order business closures even as infection rates reach new heights.
