The government warned the outbreak could run for several more months and cost over 10,000 lives, as the number of declared Coronavirus infections in Iran topped 40,000 Monday.
President Hassan Rouhani stood accused of failing to take prompt action by some of his political opponents.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said Monday another 117 people had died from the virus over the past 24 hours and 3,186 new cases had been confirmed, raising the total to more than 41,000.
The death toll had reached 2,757.
The Islamic republic is one of the countries worst hit by the pandemic.
Iran has been scrambling to contain COVID-19’s spread since it reported its first cases on February 19.
After weeks of refraining from imposing a lockdown or quarantine measures, Tehran decided last Wednesday to ban all intercity travel until at least April 8.
There is no official lockdown in Iran’s cities although the government has repeatedly urged Iranians to stay at home to contain the spread of the virus.
Rouhani’s political opponents argued Monday that it was all too little, too late.
