The numbers in Iran are pretty shocking. Can anybody tell me why they've been affected so quickly and is it just older people that are making up the numbers? I know Italy has an ageing population but i'm wondering if that's the same for Iran.
From what I remember Iran has an ageing population, relative to the rest of that region. It’s extremely likely that the numbers there are far far worse than the official count.
There seems to have been a few factors driving the extreme situation there. First, the initial outbreak occurred in the pilgrimage city of Qom, a very busy place that draws visitors from all over Iran, and indeed Shi’i Muslims from around the world. Easy to see how it quickly became the epicenter that spread it to the rest of the country. At Shi’i shrines, like at other pilgrimage sites, pilgrims strive to touch and kiss the shrines themselves, surrounded by thousands of their fellow travelers.
Secondly, the government is alleged to have initially suppressed information relating to the outbreak in order to try to secure a high turnout in parliamentary elections, deemed vital for the regime’s credibility in the aftermath of the plane fiasco. As it happened, the elections drew an all-time low turnout, and by the time they had concluded, it was too late.
Thirdly, sanctions have probably impeded the belated attempt to get to grips with the virus. There seems to have been issues getting reliable testing kits and medical facilities from abroad. There was a rumor that the US had offered to help and been turned down, but I’d take it with a grain of salt. Iran does have a good strong relationship with China, so hopefully the Chinese can help skirt the sanctions and help Iran obtain access to what it needs.
Finally, the government is awful - obsessed with its own credibility, paranoid, conspiratorial, and fanatic at times like this. Iran seems to suffer all the drawbacks of an authoritarian regime without enjoying any of the benefits, such as we appear to be seeing in certain East Asian states.