TEHRAN, Iran

Iran confirmed 223 more coronavirus-related fatalities on Tuesday, raising the nationwide death toll to 52,670, according to the country's Health Ministry.

Some 7,704 more people tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours, pushing the tally over 1.12 million, ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said.

She said that a total of 833,276 patients have recovered so far, while 5,704 remain in critical condition.

Twelve Iranian districts have been classified as red zones with a high risk of coronavirus transmission, while 288 have been designated orange zones, and 148 yellow zones, Lari added.

The ministry is currently negotiating with China, Russia, and India to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, but the biggest obstacle to the purchases is the ongoing US sanctions on the country.

Four companies in the country are working to develop a national coronavirus vaccine. Clinical tests of one of the vaccines will begin next month.

On Nov. 27, coronavirus restrictions were tightened in the country with government offices asked to operate with essential staff only.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara