Tehran (AFP)

Iran announced new restrictions on Saturday in an attempt to stem the coronavirus epidemic as the country records record numbers of infections and deaths.

The country most affected by the pandemic in the Near and Middle East, Iran has experienced a sharp rise in infections since June, with authorities citing a "fifth wave" caused by the Delta variant.

The Committee for the fight against the disease decided on Saturday the closure of government offices, banks and non-essential businesses throughout the country from Monday and until Saturday, August 21 inclusive, said its spokesperson, Aliréza Raïssi, to the official Irna agency.

Car traffic between provinces is also prohibited between Sunday noon (07:30 GMT) and August 27, he added.

The country, which has never completely confined its population, had already implemented similar measures at the end of July but only for the provinces of Tehran and Alborz.

The new restrictions come as Shia Ashura ceremonies take place during the week, with two public holidays Wednesday and Thursday.

Outdoor commemorations will be able to take place, underlined Mr. Raïssi.

In total, Iran has officially recorded more than 4.38 million infections including more than 97,000 deaths, largely underestimated results by the authorities themselves.

- "Too late" -

Taken by the throat financially by the US sanctions restored against it since 2018, Iran says it is struggling to import vaccines for its some 83 million people.

More than 14.7 million people received a first dose, but only 3.8 million received two, according to the Ministry of Health.

These are mainly the Sputnik V, Sinopharm, Covaxin and AstraZeneca vaccines.

Authorities have also approved the emergency use of two locally produced vaccines, including VOCiran Barekat, available in limited quantities.

A woman is vaccinated against the coronavirus, in Tehran on August 14, 2021 ATTA KENARE AFP

On Saturday, a few thousand Iranians lined up at the entrance of a shopping center in Tehran to receive a dose, according to AFP journalists.

"The rate of vaccination is accelerating day by day, thank God," said in the vaccination center a representative of the Ministry of Health, Bahare Karimi.

Hamed Rahmati, who works in a pharmacy, gets impatient while waiting his turn.

"They (the authorities) did not (import vaccines) when they should and now it's too late," he said.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi said on Saturday that the country needed 60 million doses of vaccines "to control the" health situation, according to the government's website.

He added at a meeting of the Disease Control Committee that the import of 30 million doses had been decided and that these would be available "shortly".

In January, Iran's Supreme Leader banned the import of anti-ovid vaccines manufactured in the United States and the United Kingdom, saying they were not "trustworthy".

© 2021 AFP