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Iran slowly reopens
In spite of their fears over the coronavirus, hundreds of pious Iranians took advantage of the temporary opening of mosques Wednesday to pray at one of the holiest times of year.
The mask-clad faithful for the most part adhered to social distancing guidelines as they sat in designated areas of Reihanat Al-Hussein mosque, in west Tehran.
Clutching their own prayer mats and Qurans, they showed up with their families, including a couple with a baby, and appeared to be in high spirits.
Worshippers spilled out into grounds outside the mosque were disinfected by a sanitary worker in a hazmat suit who sprayed them as he walked among them.
But some of the gaps between those seated at the back appeared to be too close for comfort, and the Basij militia were on hand to ensure they kept apart.
"Of course, everybody is worried about the disease, even my own family," said one of the worshippers who gave his name only as Mahmoudi.
"When I decided to come they were concerned about me and I promised them to respect the directives," he said.
"So I came and saw that everyone is respecting the (social) distancing, otherwise, I wouldn't have stayed and I'd have gone back home."
Shrines will open for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon, Rouhani said, adding that restaurants would also reopen after Ramadan and sports activities would resume without spectators.
Universities, but not medical schools, would reopen on June 6, Rouhani added.
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