Financial Tribune - In the wake of the rising cases of coronavirus infection in Iran and fears of shortage of face masks, an official with the Consumer and Producer Protection Organization said factories are working at full capacity to meet demand.

Esmaeil Mehdipour added that his organization will take legal action against hoarders and those who sell masks at inflated prices.

Mohammad Reza Shanesaz, the head of Food and Drug Administration of Iran, also announced a plan to distribute face masks free of charge and ban their sales in pharmacies.

Shanesaz says pharmacies will be barred from ordering new batches of masks and they will only be allowed to sell what they already have in stock.