Iran says it’s released 1,000 foreign prisoners since outbreak began

In response, Esmaili said Iran had an “excellent” track record, and that the panel should cover what “America and Britain have done regarding their detainees.”

On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced the government would extend furloughs for prisoners through May 20. 

The UN and rights organizations have warned of the potential for the novel coronavirus to quickly spread through Iran’s crowded jails, including at Evin prison, where many high-profile foreign prisoners are held. Last month, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran Javaid Rehman wrote that he was concerned about “overcrowding, poor nutrition and a lack of hygiene” in Iran’s jails, noting that many detainees already suffered from malnutrition and disease.

With 5,297 dead and more than 84,000 infected, Iran is one of the Middle Eastern countries worst affected by the novel coronavirus, only recently overtaken in case numbers by Turkey. A number of senior officials, including a member of Iran’s Council of Experts, are among the dead. 

Despite the rising death toll, Iran has lifted its ban on travel between provinces and allowed certain shops and factories to reopen. Restaurants, theaters, swimming pools, shopping malls and other “high-risk” facilities remain closed.

During his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the United States to lift economic sanctions, which Tehran says are hampering its coronavirus response. 

This story contains reporting from Agence France-Presse.