Iran's parliament reconvened on Wednesday after the Feb. 21 elections under strict health protocols and social distancing rules to ward off the coronavirus in one of the hardest-hit Middle Eastern countries.
Many lawmakers wore masks and their temperatures were taken before entering the parliament building in southern Tehran, Iranian media reported.Next week, lawmakers will choose a parliament speaker for a one-year term.
Iran's health ministry said on Tuesday that the death toll in Iran had reached 7,508 with 139,511 confirmed cases. State TV said all 268 lawmakers who attended the opening ceremony had tested negative for the coronavirus.
"We are among the countries that have been successful in their fight against this dangerous virus," President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech to parliament broadcast live on state TV.
Because of the outbreak, the lawmakers postponed a traditional visit to the shrine of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
After 69 days, Iran reopened the holy sites and shrines across the country. Pilgrims have to respect social distancing regulations when entering.
