Iran to Temporarily Release <br />54,000 Prisoners to Prevent <br />Coronavirus From Spreading The health ministry will oversee the <br />release of the prisoners, according <br />to semi-official news agency ISNA. Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili The decision comes as Iranian <br />officials attempt to contain <br />one of the biggest outbreaks <br />of COVID-19 outside of China. The country’s death toll has <br />reached 94, with the total <br />number of infections at 2,922. Iran has also been under pressure <br />from neighboring countries to restrict <br />visits to the city of Qom, which is home <br />to several holy sites. The government officially announced <br />on Wednesday that anyone trying to <br />leave the city with symptoms will <br />be quarantined.
