TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said late on Sunday that all required measures must be adopted to resume economic activities in the country with the priority given to people’s health.

Talking to his cabinet members, Rouhani said, "People's health is the country's first priority, but employment, production and businesses in a year that is named 'Surge in Production' must be considered as well.”

"Although the government has the responsibility to support less-privileged classes of the society, it has the responsibility to provide all necessary requirements for jump-starting businesses,” he said, according to his office’s website.

"Therefore, all necessary measures must be taken for jump-starting the country's economy by observing health protocols with people's health prioritized," he said.

During the session, the Health Ministry presented a report on the process of containing the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

According to the figures released on Monday, the COVID-19 has infected 60,500 individuals and taken the lives of 3,739 people in Iran.

Earlier on Sunday, Rouhani had also pointed to the necessity of resuming economic activities, saying, “Both economic activities and health protocols can be carried out together. All our administrative, productive and economic activities must continue, provided that all health protocols are followed by everyone.”

“All low-risk jobs in all provinces across the country can resume activity from April 11,” the president said. “But high-risk jobs, such as sports complexes, will remain shut down until April 19. Further decisions regarding these professions will be made afterward.”