Iran’s coronavirus mass graves so big they can be seen from SPACE as 429 die from disease

IRAN’S mass coronavirus graves are so vast they can be seen from space - as the country battles a surge in deaths from the disease.

These satellite pictures appear to show a cemetery in the city of Qom being expanded, as the number of COVID-19 victims in Iran hits 429.

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Iran has suffered one of the world's worst outbreaks, confirming 429 deaths so far.

Those figures rose by 75 yesterday in the highest single-day increase since the country's first fatalities in February.

MASS TRENCHES

Experts told the that new 300ft trenches have been dug to accommodate Iran's growing coronavirus death toll.

The satellite images of the Behesht-e Masoumeh cemetery, published by Maxar Technologies, show that many of the graves have not been used since October.

But by the start of March this year, one previously half-filled quadrant had been completely filled up.

More work had also begun on another unused section.

In the second section, two new 300ft trenches had appeared and can be seen from the aerial pictures.

A Maxar analyst told the Post the quick excavation work was a “departure” from previous burials at the site.

The analyst also said that a white substance piled up next to the graves could be a supply of lime which is sometimes used in mass graves.

Lime can slow down the decay of a body, with some health authorities raising alarms over the handling of corpses in coronavirus cases.

'FRESH GRAVES'

Video footage shared by the BBC'S Persian service appears to support satellite evidence that the graveyard has been expanded quickly.

In one video, a narrator describes the scene at the Behest-e Masoumeh graveyard as people wearing protective suits stand by.

He says: “This is the section for coronavirus victims."

A second video shows a worker saying: “They must have buried more than 250 coronavirus victims so far.”

The narrator adds: “These are all graves and they are all fresh. These are all from the last few days. And as you can see, it goes on until the end.”

GROWING FEARS

The city of Qom was where the virus first reached Iran last month and the country has since become the world's third worst hotspots for the deadly bug - with more than 10,000 infected.

The Iranian regime was widely criticised however for refusing to shut down Qom, despite the large number of Shi'ite pilgrims who regularly travel there.

There have also been widespread doubts over the accuracy of Iran's coronavirus figures.

One lawmaker claimed that dozens of people had died in Qom alone when the regime was saying that only 12 had died in total.

Iran's top general even claimed last week that the global outbreak was the result of a US biological warfare attack on China.

The country also currently faces a shortage of medical supplies including masks and testing kits.

It comes as U.S. and coalition forces launched retaliatory strikes on Iranian-backed militias yesterday - after two Americans and a Brit were killed in a rocket attack.

In response, U.S. military launched multiple strikes using coalition warplanes targeting multiple bases used by Iranian-backed Shia militias believed to be behind yesterday's attack.

The Iranian regime has now said it will seek immediate financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund.