Iran's daily tally of coronavirus deaths hit a record high of 459 on Sunday, the health ministry announced, increasing the official toll to 38,291 in the region’s worst-hit country.
Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV that the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 9,236 to 682,486.
Last week, the head of Iran's Medical Council, Mohammadreza Zafarghandi, doubted the accuracy of the official toll and warned that Iran had reached a "catastrophic mortality rate", the Students News Agency ISNA reported.
To stem a third wave of the virus, the government has shut schools, mosques, shops and restaurants in most of the country.
Authorities have warned that coronavirus tolls will further spike if Iranians failed to respect health protocols.
