Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani announced Saturday that collective prayers will resume in mosques, even as confirmed new coronavirus infections rise again after a decline.
“It has been decided to open the mosques across the country… giving worshippers the chance to perform their daily prayers while respecting the required (hygiene) rules,” Rouhani said in a televised speech.
Iran, hit by the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak of the virus, began to loosen restrictions on human interaction in April, classifying areas as white, orange, and red – respectively indicating low, medium, and high risk for coronavirus infections.
Rouhani said Saturday that the reopening of mosques for daily prayer “would not only be in white zones,” but did not elaborate on when the eased measures would take effect.
Authorities had progressvely closed mosques across Iran after confirming the first coronavirus infections in February.
Mosques in areas falling into the white category were allowed to re-open their doors for prayer for the month of Ramadan — April 25 to May 24 – but only for individual prayer.
For Eid el-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, collective prayer was permitted in some areas.
A requirement that shopping centres close by 6.00 pm would be lifted, Rouhani added, again without specifying when this measure will take effect.
The Iranian president also warned the population against believing that the country was rid of the virus, emphasising that it was here to stay.