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Iranian authorities say they are investigating whether "biological warfare" could be behind the coronavirus pandemic.

The Middle Eastern country has suffered one of the worst outbreaks of Covid-19 in the world, with more than 71,600 confirmed cases and 4,474 deaths.

The first cases were reported in late February, although the government first said coronavirus had been "hyped" by their American enemies to suppress election turnout, and that it would "punish anyone spreading rumours about a serious epidemic".

The government was forced to take the outbreak more seriously after the number of cases soared following public celebrations of Nowruz, Iranian New Year, although its response has been criticised as slow and sceptical of how bad things could get.

(Image: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Iran 's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently allowed President Hassan Rouhani to use 1 billion euros (£873 million) from the country's National Development Fund to alleviate the virus' negative impact on the economy, a move dubbed "too little, too late" by critics.

Recent comments from a senior military health official indicate the Iranian government may believes the virus was released intentionally as a targeted attack, despite a lack of evidence.

"Every country is looking into the matter to see the likelihood of any biological warfare behind the issue," the head of Iran's Health Department of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Second Brigadier General Hassan Araghizadeh, told Mehr News Agency on Sunday.

(Image: REUTERS)

"The Iranian scientific centres are also conducting researches in this regard, however a definite decision needs more time and effort."

General Araghizadeh claimed Iran's military has the skills and equipment to detect "any biological threat in time" and to take any necessary measures in "countering bioterrorism".

He added that the armed forces are currently working to slow the spread of Covid-19 by disinfecting public places and committing 10,000 beds in military hospitals for virus patients.

(Image: Alamy Live News.)

Anti-government activists recently claimed Iran's true death toll is far higher than what has been reported.

The People's Mojahedin Organisation, a political-militant group, says "more than 17,500 people have died" of coronavirus and the government is covering up the real number.