Daily Times

Iran allowed some shuttered Tehran businesses to reopen Saturday despite the Middle East’s deadliest coronavirus outbreak, as many faced a bitter choice between risking infection and economic ruin.

Top officials argue that Iran’s sanctions-hit economy cannot afford to remain on lockdown, and approved similar measures in other provinces last week. There was a “significant” uptick in highway use on Saturday, according to Tehran’s traffic police chief, who told state TV that some anti-congestion measures had been lifted to discourage use of public transportation. Some Tehran residents said they were concerned about the outbreak but had to go back to work as their livelihoods depended on it. “I don’t think it’s safe yet,” said Reza Jafari, a salesman at a handbag wholesaler in the capital. “But I had to get back to work for financial reasons. If I had the option I wouldn’t, but if the shop remains closed longer we could get laid off.” Jafari, speaking by telephone, said retailers from other provinces had flocked to the store on Saturday to refresh their stocks, and that most shopkeepers and customers did not wear masks or gloves.

At the nearby Grand Bazaar, many shopkeepers sat on the steps of closed stalls, saying they were not allowed to reopen until May 1. They protested what they saw as a double standard, with shops outside the bazaar working while they remain barred from reopening. “How can I stay keep staying home? My family is hungry,” said Hamdollah Mahmoudi, 45, a shopworker in the bazaar. “And one gets mentally sick without work”. Morteza, 30, said he was unable to open his stall despite pressure from creditors. “This is the second stage of coronavirus for me,” he said. “I would be better off dead now.”

‘Smart social distancing’

Hit by an outbreak of the COVID-19 illness that has now killed over 5,000 people and infected over 80,000 according to official figures, Iran shut down all non-essential economic activity in mid-March. Some abroad and many inside Iran, including officials and health experts, have said the casualty figures may be higher than the official count.