
The death toll due to coronavirus in Iran rose to 145 on Saturday as 21 new deaths were reported including a lawmaker among the latest fatalities.
Also Read: Adviser to Iran's foreign minister dies of coronavirus
Fatemeh Rahbar, 55, a legislator was killed by the virus today even as Iran kept its schools shut and cancelled major events.
Watch Video:
Seven other politicians and government officials have died in Iran due to the coronavirus.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said1,076 additional cases had been confirmed in the past 24 hours. The country now has 5,823 confirmed cases of the virus.
At least 16,000 people are currently hospitalised as suspect cases.
Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed US sanctions for undermining Iran's battle against coronavirus.
"Donald Trump is maliciously tightening US' illegal sanctions with aim of draining Iran's resources needed in the fight against COVID19 while our citizens are dying from it," he said on Twitter.
"The world can no longer be silent as US economic terrorism is supplanted by its medical terrorism," Iran's foreign minister asserted.
In Italy, the death toll due to the virus crossed 200 with 6,000 infected even as Pope Francis announcedprayers on Sunday will be livestreamed in a break with centuries-old tradition.
The US, meanwhile, has been battling to contain the virus on cruise ship Grand Princess stranded off San Francisco where 21 people have tested positive.