A 78-year-old member of the Iranian clerical body that chooses the country's supreme leader has died from the illness caused by the new coronavirus, news agencies reported today. He was the latest of several senior Iranian officials to have been infected in the worsening outbreak. The clerical assembly has the authority to appoint or remove the supreme leader, who has the final say on all major policies. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 80 years old and has been in power since 1989, wore disposable gloves at a recent public event, apparently as a precaution. The official leading Iran's response to the virus on Sunday expressed concerns that health facilities could be overwhelmed if the rate of new cases continues to climb.

Source: The Standard March 16, 2020 07:41 UTC