UPDATE - Iran seeks $5B from IMF to curb coronavirus

UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY IRAN’S CENTRAL BANK CHIEF, DEATH TOLL, CHANGES HL, LEDE

By Mahmoud Barakat and Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Iran on Thursday sought $5 billion in financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to curb the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

In a tweet, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif recalled that IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated that countries affected by the coronavirus will be provided emergency financial assistance.

"Our Central Bank requested access to this facility immediately," the minister said, calling on IMF to "adhere to Fund's mandate, stand on right side of history and act responsibly."

On March 4, the IMF announced allocating about $50 billion through its rapid-disbursing emergency financing facilities to help countries with low income and emerging markets address the coronavirus.

Iran’s Central Bank chief Abdolnaser Hemmati asked IMF for $5 billion emergency funding to help the country battered economically and reeling from U.S. sanctions.

Iran is one of the worst-hit countries from coronavirus with the death toll climbing to 429 on Thursday.

Authorities said 75 people died in the last 24 hours, with confirmed cases rising to more than 10,000, Iran's state TV quoted Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour as saying.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared coronavirus a global pandemic.

The global death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 4,600, with over 124,500 confirmed cases, according to the WHO.

The virus originated in China’s central Wuhan city last December and has spread to 114 countries so far.

As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, many governments closed borders and suspended land and air travel with the worst-hit countries.