Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has cancelled an annual speech marking the start of the Persian new year, his office announced Monday, as the country's death toll from novel coronavirus mounts.
"The ceremony of the speech of the supreme leader which takes place every year at the sacred mausoleum of Imam Reza... will not take place this year" and Khamenei will not travel to the city of Mashhad, the statement said.
Across the country, Friday prayers have been cancelled for two weeks in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.
Iran is battling with one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus worldwide, with 237 deaths and 7,161 infections.
