Some 70 Million Iranians Screened for Coronavirus: Official

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Brigadier General Mohammad Hossein Sepehr highlighted the measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic, saying around 70 million people in Iran have been screened for the disease with the help of more than 50,000 screening teams of the Basij.

Under a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, more than 600,000 Basij forces have taken part in the countrywide plan to help various organizations in the battle with coronavirus, he noted.

Basij is duty-bound to give assistance to all organizations of the Islamic Republic, he said, adding that Basij has called on academic centers, knowledge-based companies and people to propose their innovative ideas for the fight against the coronavirus in the health sector and management field.

In a letter to commander of Basij, Minister of Health Saeed Namaki has expressed his gratitude to the volunteer forces for their close cooperation with the medical staff and for contribution to the national mobilization plan for the fight against COVID-19.

Basij is a paramilitary voluntary force established in 1979 on late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini's order.

The force consists of often young Iranians, who have volunteered, with a strong sense of fidelity to both the Islamic system and religious beliefs.