TEHRAN – Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Monday that all bodies must follow the decisions taken by the National Headquarters for Fighting Coronavirus.

“It has been approved by the Supreme Council of National Security that all sectors must follow decisions of this headquarters,” he said during a meeting with Minister of Health Saeed Namaki and a number of lawmakers in Majlis.

Larijani noted that all efforts must be made to help the headquarters succeed in its effort to contain the virus.

During a meeting of the headquarters on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani attached great importance to transparency and public trust in campaign against the coronavirus outbreak.

He said that “trust and empathy” between the people and the government are very important in such a situation that the virus has spread to all across the country.

“Success in the fight against the coronavirus in the shortest period of time is contingent upon the people and also executive bodies’ cooperation with the national headquarters for fighting coronavirus,” he said.

Iran is currently battling the world's deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus outside China, where it originated.

Iran’s Health Ministry confirmed on Monday 595 new cases of infection.

The record-breaking increase in the number of new infections raises the total number of confirmed cases to 7,161 and the overall death toll to 237.

Ali Nobakht, the chairman of the Majlis Health Committee, on Monday, called on the heads of the three branches of government to get directly involved in the effort to contain the spread of the deadly virus. 

Nobakht also warned about the downplaying of the issue.

NA/PA