“A member of the National Coronavirus Combat Task Force for the Islamic Republic of Iran revealed on Monday that half a million people in the country are suffering from the deadly virus.  Hamid Souri told Iran’s news agency IRNA that many patients afflicted with the coronavirus have not been detected.  …  “The coronavirus curve has not flattened in any of the country’s 31 provinces,” Souri told IRNA.”  …  The current figures are officially 55,743 sufferers and 3,452 dead.  The current death toll is apparently much higher.  On Sunday, it was 12,380, according to Western security sources.”  …  Ebrahim Raisi, the Islamic Republic’s chief judge and a possible successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, ordered that thousands of coronavirus deaths be attributed to diseases such as heart failure or pneumonia.”  “Iran has 500,000 people infected with coronavirus,” Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post, April 7, 2020.

133 died on Monday in Iran.  “Iran Says Coronavirus Death Toll Nearing 4,000,” Reuters, New York Times, April 7, 2020.

“Iran’s Parliament Rejects Bill To Introduce One-Month National Lockdown,” Radio Farda, April 7, 2020.

“Case Filed Against Iranian MP for Remarks over Downed Ukrainian Plane,” Asharq Al-Awsat, April 7, 2020.

“Iran Parliament Reconvenes Even as Coronavirus Infects Its Ranks,” Arsalan Shahla, Bloomberg, April 7, 2020.

Key conclusion—“Western states must remain cautious should Russia and/or China broker a deal to provide the IAEA access to locations in Iran. Especially if the deal’s provisions at the same time reduce the IAEA’s verification authority or effectiveness.”  See “Is Iran’s Nuclear Future in the Hands of Russia and China?,” Mark Hibbs, Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, April 7, 2020.

“Speaking to reporters by phone in early March, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Hidai Zilberman said the spread of the virus has affected Israel’s enemies, who have decreased their hostile activities to focus on containing it.  While he did not refer to Iran by name, he said “there are enemy countries that have been hit much more strongly than us by the coronavirus, and therefore their activities have decreased.””  See “IDF’s Military Intelligence adds coronavirus to list of ‘enemy’ targets,” Anna Ahronheim, Jerusalem Post, April 7, 2020.

“Israeli security agency says it arrested alleged Iran spy,” AP, April 7, 2020.

“Dozens Of Political Prisoners In Iran Moved To Unknown Location After Unrest,” Radio Farda, April 7, 2020.

“Iran Deploys Missiles Covering The Strait Of Hormuz,” H.I. Sutton, Forbes, April 7, 2020.

“Iran to give money to 23 million households amid ongoing coronavirus crisis,” AMN, April 7, 2020.

“Iranian officials contradict one another on coronavirus projections, state assistance,” Al-Monitor, April 7, 2020.