Iran has been struck by one of the most severe coronavirus outbreaks in the world, but the voices of Iranians affected by the pandemic have remained largely unheard outside the country’s borders. The scale of their suffering has been obscured by often upbeat stories about survivors in Iran’s official media and by an inscrutable government many suspect is underplaying the toll. Aided by Iranian hospital records obtained by The Washington Post, however, reporters were able to contact covid-19 survivors and the families of victims. They recounted tales of valiant medical workers, overtaxed hospitals and a government that had been far too slow to raise the alarm. “Awareness-building was way too late,” said a young architecture student who was hospitalized. “Many people were already infected.” Nearly 70,000 Iranians have tested positive for the virus and more than 4,000 people have died, including some of Iran’s most prominent officials, […]