In this photo released on Friday March 20, 2020 by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani delivers a message for the Iranian New Year, or Nowruz, in Tehran, Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani in separate new year messages vowed to overcome the new coronavirus and increase economic growth. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
March 20, 2020
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March 20, 2020 7:58 a.m.
Iran's leaders take upbeat tone even as virus deaths climb
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's leaders vowed to overcome the coronavirus outbreak in upbeat messages marking the Persian New Year on Friday, even as the Health Ministry announced 149 more fatalities, bringing the country's death toll to 1,433.