Friday prayers cancelled in Tehran

DUBAI, Feb 27, (Agencies): Saudi Arabia on Thursday banned foreign pilgrims from entering the Kingdom to visit Islam’s holiest sites over the new coronavirus, potentially disrupting the plans of millions of faithful ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and as the annual Hajj pilgrimage looms.

The decision showed the growing worry across the Mideast about the virus as Iran confirmed that infected cases in the country spiked by over 100, to 254 now. Those with the virus in the Islamic Republic now include Iranian Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar, better known as the English-language spokeswoman “Mary” for the 1979 hostage-takers who seized the US Embassy in Tehran and sparked the 444-day diplomatic crisis, state media reported.

A total of 26 people have died so far in Iran, the world’s highest death toll outside of China, where the outbreak began.

Saudi Arabia’s barring of pilgrims from Makkah, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims pray toward five times a day, and also the holy city of Madinah, appeared unprecedented in modern history. The Kingdom’s Al Saud ruling family stakes their legitimacy in overseeing and protecting the sites. Authorities also suspended entry to travelers from nations affected by the new virus who hold tourist visas for the Kingdom.

It appeared Saudi officials worried about the risk of pilgrims spreading the virus as they had in Iran. The virus’ epicenter in the Islamic Republic is the holy Shiite city of Qom, where the faithful in reverence reach out to kiss and touch a famous shrine. That shrine and others have remained open, despite Iran’s civilian government calling for them to be closed.

There have been no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Saudi Arabia amid the outbreak.

“Saudi Arabia renews its support for all international measures to limit the spread of this virus, and urges its citizens to exercise caution before traveling to countries experiencing coronavirus outbreaks,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement announcing the decision. “We ask God Almighty to spare all humanity from all harm.”

News of the cancellation shocked the Muslim world, as many save their entire lives for a chance to see the Kaaba and walk along the path of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and visit his tomb in Madinah.

Hundreds of faithful deplaned in Pakistan as the ban came into effect, while Indonesia and Turkey had to turn away thousands of pilgrims set to fly. Authorities at Cairo’s international airport said the Saudi decision created “intense confusion” and “extreme anger” among thousands of passengers waiting for flights. Security officials needed to call in reinforcements to control the crowd as news of the ban broke, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren’t allowed to speak to reporters.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretariat General has affirmed its support to all preventive and proactive measures taken by Saudi Arabia to provide the maximum protection to citizens and expats planning to perform Umrah pilgrimage and visit Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

It was a precautionary and preventive move to prevent the entry of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, into the Kingdom.

Decision

In a press statement, the Secretariat said the decision on suspending entry to Saudi Arabia for Umrah pilgrimage or visiting Al-Masjid Al-Nabawy is temporary and will contribute to maintaining the safety of pilgrims and visitors.

Seyed Hadi Khosroshahi, former Iranian ambassador to the Vatican, was counted amongst the coronavirus fatalities, said a media source Thursday.

The state-run news agency (IRNA) indicated that Khosroshahi, 81, died Wednesday after he was admitted to the hospital. The late official has held several

A worker disinfects subway trains against coronavirus in Tehran, Iran, in the early morning of

Feb 26. (AP)

Iraqi health officials and Civil Defense staff wearing protective suits spray a hotel used by Iranian citizens with disinfectant as a precaution against

the coronavirus in Najaf, Iraq on Feb 26. (AP) positions during the 1980s.

Earlier on, deaths due to the coronavirus in Iran went up to 26 people, while confirmed cases reached 245 individuals.

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran are reporting that Friday prayers have been canceled in Tehran and elsewhere in the Islamic Republic over the outbreak of new coronavirus.

The news came Thursday as Iran drastically increased the number of confirmed cases of the virus by over 100 to 254, with 26 deaths.

The announcement came as Saudi Arabia on Thursday banned foreign pilgrims from entering the Kingdom to visit Islam’s holiest sites over the new coronavirus, potentially disrupting the plans of millions of faithful ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and as the annual Hajj pilgrimage looms.

Turkish Airlines has temporarily suspended flights to Azerbaijan’s autonomous Nakhchivan region and also carried out measures to disinfect 250 planes, the company said Thursday.

Turkey’s national flag carrier continues flying to the Azerbaijani capital Baku and Ganja, the country’s second-largest city, the airline’s chairman Ilker Ayci added in a press release.

The airline disinfected more than 250 aircraft as part of measures to fight coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, he reaffirmed.

In the wake of a dozen deaths from coronavirus in neighboring Iran, service there has been suspended, along with flights to China, where the outbreak began.

The Arab League called on Thursday on Arab States to join hands to stop mounting spread of coronavirus.

The Arab League is aspiring to see boost of communications, information swap and continuous coordination among the member States against the epidemic, said Ambassador Haifaa Abu Ghazala, the Arab League Secretary General Assistant for Social Affairs.

Abu Ghazala, who also called for aiding countries stricken with the deadly virus, noted that number of cases infected with the contagious disease has been increasing in China and other nations including Arab States.

She, addressing the 53rd regular session of the Arab Council of Health Ministers, expressed appreciation for precautions that have been taken by China, Arab countries and the World Health Organization to stem spread of the disease.

Abu Ghazala affirmed the council bids to ensure good health standards and living for citizens of all ages in the Arab world through the sustainable development plan 2030.

The session agenda includes a number of topics related to Arab citizens’ health, a basic factor for socio-economic development.