Religious Sites Could Reopen in Iran, President Says
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said religious sites in the country might reopen in compliance with the health protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Addressing a Saturday meeting of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, Rouhani said a report from the Ministry of Health suggests “relatively satisfactory conditions” in the battle with the novel coronavirus.
Hailing the close cooperation from the people and observance of the health protocols as a source of pride in Iran, Rouhani said, “If the popular cooperation continues in parallel with the arrangements that have been made, we can be hopeful to some extent about cutting off the chain of outbreak of the disease.”
The president also said that all health officials, religious authorities and clerics share a common concern about the health of people and creating an acceptable situation for the resumption of religious rituals, adding, “One can be hopeful that with the improvement of the indices of controlling the disease, the country’s religious centers might reopen after defining certain conditions and instructions.”
He also noted that a large number of coronavirus cases in Iran have been treated with outpatient treatment services following an increase in the number of laboratories and lab testing with quick results and the efforts made by the health personnel.
Under a coordinated management system covering all sectors and organizations, officials have been deployed to the infected provinces and cities in a timely manner, have prevented a peak in the coronavirus outbreak, and have rapidly created stable situation by enforcing precautionary measures and restrictions, the president added.
Rouhani also cautioned that while Iran is taking the path to controlling the disease, any reduction in the level of warnings and popular vigilance could result in another peak.
He once again called on people to stay home, not go out for unnecessary activities, and help the officials ensure a stable and reliable situation in containing COVID-19.
He went on to say that the committees of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters have been assigned to evaluate the process of resumption of activities in every city and define the necessary health protocols by assessing the statistics for the infected cases, deaths and the outbreak indices.
