Iran's leaders on Friday announced 149 more fatalities from the new coronavirus, bringing its death toll to 1,433 amid nearly 20,000 confirmed cases.
Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the Middle East, and has been widely criticized for its slow response.
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The country's leaders struck an upbeat tone earlier Friday, issuing messages in honor of the Persian new year in which they vowed to overcome the pandemic.
President Hassan Rouhani marked the new year, known as Nowruz, by promising a better economy. "We will put the Coronavirus behind us soon with unity, with hard work and with cooperation," he said.
Most people who come down with the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus experience only minor symptoms and recover within weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by people showing no symptoms. It can cause severe illness, including pneumonia, particularly in sick or elderly patients.
More than 240,000 people have been infected worldwide. More than 10,000 have died, while more than 85,000 have recovered.
Rouhani has defended his government's response to the coronavirus outbreak in the face of widespread criticism that officials acted too slowly and may have even covered up initial cases before infections rapidly spread across the country.
He also sought to highlight what he viewed as the achievements of the past year, including the downing of a sophisticated US drone and missile strikes on US bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iran's top general in Baghdad.
Rouhani assured Iranians that his administration will prioritize health in the coming year and said it had stockpiled basic supplies.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech on state television for Nowruz, praised Iranians for their "dazzling" sacrifices in fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
"These acts of sacrifice were made by medical groups, physicians, nurses, assistants, managers and the staff working in hospitals," said Khamenei, who looked healthy despite rumors that he had been infected with the new coronavirus.
Officials close to Khamenei, contacted by Reuters on Wednesday, denied the rumors.
Khamenei issued a religious edict this week prohibiting all unnecessary travel and authorities have restricted travel between cities. After weeks of heavy criticism, authorities finally closed two major religious shrines in recent days.
