Iran’s new parliament convened on Wednesday after the February 21 elections under strict health protocols and social distancing rules to ward off the coronavirus in one of the hardest-hit Middle Eastern countries, Reuters reports.

Many lawmakers wore masks and their temperatures were taken before entering the parliament building in southern Tehran, Iranian media reported.

Iran’s health ministry said that the coronavirus death toll in Iran had reached 7,564 with 141,591 confirmed cases.

State TV said all 268 lawmakers who attended the opening ceremony had tested negative for the coronavirus.

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