Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Iran has recorded the highest COVID-19 death toll in the Middle East, surpassing 60,000 deaths.

The spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Sima Sadat Lari, said that more than 8,000 new coronavirus cases and 93 deaths were recorded in Iran during the past 24 hours.

The total number of COVID-19 infections has exceeded 1.6 million, according to Iran's news agency (Irna).

On Feb. 9, Iran began its national vaccination campaign using the Sputnik V vaccine.