US government 'literally scouring the globe looking for medical supplies'; over 10% of Spain's health workers confirmed infected with virus

Claim with no scientific evidence is increasingly used by Chinese officials to deflect blame for the pandemic

20,610 people are known to have been infected in the Islamic Republic; Rouhani predicts positive changes within 15 days

In speech marking Persian new year, Khamenei says it will be 'the year of leaps in production' in Iran’s economy; highlights downing of US drone, missile strikes on American bases

US president said to have backed off large-scale response to rocket attack on US troops in Iraq, concerned it would look bad as Tehran grapples with coronavirus crisis

Health Ministry says number of infections dropped in 11 of the country's 31 provinces, but experts fear numbers under-reported; 10,000 prisoners to be freed in Nowruz amnesty

Move apparently aimed at preventing further spread of coronavirus; Tehran's Health Ministry spokesman says 1 Iranian dies 'every 10 minutes' of the disease

Confirmed COVID-19 cases have surpassed 18,000 across region, with more than 1,000 deaths recorded in 7 countries, most of them in Iran

Police disperse angry crowds that push into the courtyards of Mashhad's Imam Reza and Qom's Fatima Masumeh shrines; officials start checking people trying to leave major cities

Police disperse angry crowds that push into the courtyards of Mashhad's Imam Reza and Qom's Fatima Masumeh shrines; officials start checking people trying to leave major cities