Tehran, March 12, IRNA – The following headlines appeared in the English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Thursday:

** IRAN DAILY

President urges people to stay indoors
President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday his entire government is engaged in the fight against a coronavirus outbreak across the country, stressing that all state institutions and officials are, in parallel, doing their utmost to minimize the damage caused by the epidemic to people’s livelihood.

Iran: IAEA should not follow up on ‘empty claims’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said the UN atomic watchdog should not follow up on any “empty claims” after the agency raised questions about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

UAE joins KSA in opening oil taps as row with Russia hits crude prices

The United Arab Emirates joined Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in promising to raise oil output to a record high in April, as the two Persian Gulf Arab oil producers in OPEC took a united stand in a standoff with Russia that has hammered global crude prices.

** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL

US tells allies to use virus as pressure tool

Iran said on Wednesday the United States has blocked the entry of food and medicine into the Islamic Republic through its unlawful sanctions, but shamelessly denies doing so.

WHO: Coronavirus Crisis now a pandemic

Expressing increasing alarm about mounting infections, the World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic.

Saudi Arabia, UAE launch oil price war

Oil heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the UAE vowed Wednesday to pump millions more barrels of crude as they stepped up a price war after Russia refused a deal to cut output.

** TEHRAN TIMES

Iran’s special case in Corona crisis

Foreign Ministry spokesman announced on Wednesday that Iran is only tasked to answer “legal and technical questions” by the International Atomic Agency Organization (IAEA).

Iranian-made medicine raises hope to treat severe cases of COVID-19

The Iranian health ministry has announced that testing a domestically-made medicine has resulted in improvement of symptoms in severe cases of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

MbS and the risky adventure of seizing the throne

Informed diplomatic sources have described the continued detentions by bin Salman in Saudi Arabia as the last move by the crown prince to capture the throne

** FINANCIAL TRIBUNE

CBI tells banks to restrict work

Banks and financial institutions in Iran have been advised to curtail operations and take effective precautionary hygiene measures, especially where the coronavirus is widespread, to protect bank staff and customers from the infectious disease.

Exporters want CBI flexibility in revenue repatriation

Head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mining and Agriculture has called on the Central Bank of Iran to postpone deadline(s) for repatriating export earnings by at least three months to help shield exporters against mounting risks posed by the coronavirus.

IAEA politicization of technical issues not constructive

The International Atomic Energy Agency needs to make inspection requests on technical and legal grounds and avoid politicizing issues that Iran does not consider "correct and constructive", a senior diplomat said, referring to the agency's recent report criticizing Iran for denying it access to certain sites and refusing to address uncalled for concerns.

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