Satellite images show mass graves in Iran as coronavirus toll rises

With 11,364 confirmed coronavirus infections (COVID-19) and 514 deaths as of Friday, Iran is the country worst-hit by the virus outside of China and Italy. However, questions over the accuracy of its stated numbers have been raised for a while.

Qom, the region that served as the initial hub of the outbreak in the country, has been brutally hit by the virus. Now, satellite photos produced by Maxar Technologies and accessed by the New York Times show what appears to be mass graves being built in the region.

The photos show two trenches in the Behesht-e-Masoumeh cemetery, around 128km south of Tehran. One satellite photo taken in October 2019 shows much of the cemetary lying unused. The recent photo, dating to March 1, shows many trenches filled in. The Washington Post reported that piles of lime can also be seen, suggesting that Iran is uding lime to manage the decay and odour.

Videos on social media also show what appears to be mass graves (and men in hazmat suits) at Behesht-e Masoumeh.

This is not the first report that said Iran has been building mass graves. Unverified footage on social media went viral in February purportedly showing mass graves being built, at a time when the official death toll was just 54.

However, those who have criticised the regime’s handling have been arrested. Mohammad Mokhtari, an Iranian footballer and captain of the Damash soccer team was arrested on March 11after he criticised the regime’s handling of the crisis on Instagram, according to state run news agency ILNA.

Mokhtari had claimed that in Gilan province alone, over 100 people were dying of the virus each day. “In Gilan province alone, over a hundred people die every day from COVID-19,” he wrote on Instagram adding that there was no more room to bury the dead...The bodies are stacked on top of each other, and they want to put a few in one grave to save space. Then they falsely announce the number of fatalities in the media which only covers a percent of the actual figures,” he wrote.

To cope with the outbreak, Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for a $5 billion loan to combat the virus and cope with the “vast shortages caused by restrictions” due to US sanctions. This is the first time Iran has made such a request to the IMF since the 1979 revolution.