In Iran, The Pandemic Has Prompted A Spike In Suicides A man wearing a face mask walks on a street in Tonekabon, Iran, on April 26, 2021. - Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua/ZUMA The pandemic has made things seem even bleaker for a population already struggling with serious economic woes and government repression. 2021-05-27 The coronavirus pandemic has killed a staggering number of people worldwide. But it's also had a profound impact on people's mental health, including in Iran, where dire economic conditions and strict curbs in individual liberties caused significant psychological hardship even before the current health crisis. Now, with the COVID-19 outbreak continuing to spread, officials says that there's an even greater incidence of mental disorders, suicides and physical fighting,