The Iranian authorities on Monday allowed partial reopening of the Muslim Shiite shrines across the country after more than two months of closure over the coronavirus pandemic.
During the opening hours between an hour after dawn and an hour before dusk, the worshippers, however, were still not allowed to enter the interior covered spaces where the saints' tombs lie, according to a statement by the health authorities.
Social distancing regulations must be obeyed, the statement noted.
In most of the shrines, the worshippers were checked for their body temperatures upon entrance and were asked to wear masks, the local media reported.
The reopening coincided with the Eid al-Fitr holiday, the Muslim festival of breaking the fast at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Along with other holy shrines across the country, Imamzadeh Saleh, an imamzadeh mosque located at Tajrish Square in Tehran's northern Tajrish district, opened early morning on Monday.
The courtyard of the shrine had already been disinfected and incoming people were asked by the attendants to use their own prayer mats and books.
"Life without spirituality has no meaning. Worship is central to our life," said a middle-aged attendant of the shrine, standing inside the courtyard and instructing the worshippers with health directives.
Iran's health authorities announced the closure of all shrines across the country on March 17 as the country was struggling to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Sitting on a stretched prayer mat at a quiet corner of the yard of Imamzadeh Saleh, a young man facing toward the saint's tomb was citing verses from the holy Quran.
"Praise God for this moment, on this happy Eid. People should appreciate the change of situation," said the young man, who only identified himself as Matin, a Persian Literature student at Iran's Islamic Azad University.
The Iranian health ministry on Monday confirmed a total of 137,724 cases of the COVID-19 in the Islamic republic, including 7,451 deaths.
