Iran to impose tighter COVID-19 restrictions next Saturday
CGTN
FILE PHOTO: A health official checks a customer's temperature at the entrance of a shopping center in northern Tehran, Iran, March 5, 2020. /Xinhua

FILE PHOTO: A health official checks a customer's temperature at the entrance of a shopping center in northern Tehran, Iran, March 5, 2020. /Xinhua

Iran is set to impose tighter measures from next Saturday in a bi to curb further spread of COVID-19, President Hassan Rouhani said on state television.

According to Reuters, the measures – classified by health officials as "red" or level 3 – will be imposed in the capital Tehran and about 100 other towns and cities.

All non-essential businesses and services will be shut down while cars will be banned form entering or leaving the affected towns and cities.

Health officials have devised a colour-coding system that denotes the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

"The goal is not to shut down people's businesses, but we have to set limits," Reuters quotes Health Minister Alireza Raisi.

Some 150 towns and cities are rated "orange" or level 2, he said.

Iran has so far reported 749,525 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 41,034 deaths.