He assured the people of Tehran that there are no reports on contamination of the city's water supply to coronavirus.
"Tehran's potable water is chlorinated and the virus can not contaminate it," he explained.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is not technically impossible that the virus could be transmitted through water, but in mid-March it said that there was currently no proof that it could be transmitted through drinking water or other water sources.
Studies of similar viruses show that they can survive for two days in non-chlorinated water at 20°C. The WHO has consistently said that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 contamination from drinking water systems is "low".
MNA/4911839