Iran reopened its parks and recreation areas on Wednesday in line with its phased easing of coronavirus restrictions, following a recent decline in infections and deaths.

The National Coronavirus Taskforce announced that parks and recreational areas are once again open to the public, if they comply with the Health Ministry’s guidelines, ISNA quoted.

Hossein Zolfaqari, the head of the taskforce’s social and security committee, said as of Wednesday, people can use these spaces while observing social distancing, as President Hassan Rouhani announced in its Cabinet meeting that the government will revise its approach to the widespread outbreak if there are complications.

Referring to the early days of the pandemic when the country faced shortage of health protective products, Rouhani said, “We are now capable of exporting sanitizers and coronavirus testing kits.”

The president defended his policy of gradual return to work, saying that “the phased reopening was a necessity for the country”.

As per the Smart Distancing Initiative, Iran has relaxed confinement measures for its low- and medium-risk businesses. Malls and bazaars can be open from morning till 6 p.m. and beauty salons are on the verge of resuming operations if the coronavirus taskforce gives it the go-ahead.

Rouhani noted that the scheme will definitely succeed if everyone takes heed of health protocols.

“Some provinces have reported declining numbers … Some have registered an upward trend in recent days,” he explained.

Health Ministry’s Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour announced that confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iran rose by 1,194 on Wednesday, bringing the national tally to 85,996 and the death toll reached 5,391, up by 94 from a day earlier.

“Fortunately, 63,113 patients have recovered and were discharged from hospitals,” he added.

According to Jahanpour, 3,311 of those who have contracted the virus are in critical condition, announcing that 126 laboratories equipped to test suspected patients have carried out 377,396 coronavirus tests.

Iran ranks eighth among the countries worst hit by the highly contagious disease.

The number of deaths caused by the respiratory illness crossed 180,000 and the tally of patients rose to 2.57 million worldwide.