Authorities in Iran have begun extending the coronavirus restrictions ahead of the Yelda Night Winter Festival, during which families hold gatherings until late at night.
On the Yelda Night, which will fall on Sunday night, people across Iran gather and stay awake until the early hours of the morning, singing, eating nuts, and other similar activities.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged the citizens in a statement and called on them to avoid gatherings to help the government curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
"Let's not gather, so we don't become the fewer," Rouhani said in televised remarks on Saturday.
As part of the extended restrictions, shops were ordered to close down at least two hours earlier, at 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, with Iran's Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi revealing that a traffic curfew was brought forward an hour from 8:00 pm until 4:00 am.
On the Yelda Night, which will fall on Sunday night, people across Iran gather and stay awake until the early hours of the morning, singing, eating nuts, and other similar activities.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged the citizens in a statement and called on them to avoid gatherings to help the government curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
"Let's not gather, so we don't become the fewer," Rouhani said in televised remarks on Saturday.
As part of the extended restrictions, shops were ordered to close down at least two hours earlier, at 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, with Iran's Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi revealing that a traffic curfew was brought forward an hour from 8:00 pm until 4:00 am.
