People wearing face masks leave a bus station in Tehran, Iran, July 8, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)
Some 25 million people in Iran have so far contracted the novel coronavirus, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday.
"Another 30 to 35 million people are prone to contract the disease as well," Rouhani said, citing a report by the health minister.
"The minister's report suggests the number of people to refer to hospitals in the future be twice that of the past five months," said Rouhani.
The Iranian president said it is likely that until the end of the current Iranian year which ends on March 20, 2021, the country will be grappling with the disease.
He called on the health authorities to provide enough medical equipment and treatment services to tackle the rise of COVID-19 infections.
Iran reported 271,606 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday with the death toll at 13,979.