Feature: Iranians prepare to celebrate longest night of year differently amid COVID-19 pandemic - Xinhua xinhuanet.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from xinhuanet.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Saturday, 19 December, 2020 - 10:45
FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2020, file photo, people wear protective face masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus in downtown Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File) Asharq Al-Awsat Although Iran faces crushing US sanctions, there are still ways for Tehran to obtain coronavirus vaccines as the country suffers the Mideast s worst outbreak of the pandemic.
After earlier downplaying the virus, Iran has since acknowledged the scope of the disaster it faces after 1.1 million reported cases and over 52,000 deaths. Getting vaccines into the arms of its people would be a major step in stemming the crisis.
EXPLAINER: Iran, despite sanctions, has routes to vaccines
by Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
Posted Dec 19, 2020 5:32 am EDT
Last Updated Dec 19, 2020 at 5:42 am EDT
FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020 file photo, a cemetery worker prepares new graves at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery on the outskirts of the Iranian capital, Tehran, Iran. Though Iran faces crushing U.S. sanctions, there still remain ways for Tehran to obtain coronavirus vaccines as it suffers the Mideast s worst outbreak of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Although Iran faces crushing U.S. sanctions, there are still ways for Tehran to obtain coronavirus vaccines as the country suffers the Mideast’s worst outbreak of the pandemic.
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TEHRAN, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) Iranian families complete their preparations to celebrate Yalda Night on Sunday evening, while authorities reiterate calls to hold family meetings online this year to prevent the re-spread of COVID-19.
Yalda Night, which is one of the oldest traditions in Iran, is to celebrate with family the longest night of the year.
Family members usually gather for the night around a tablecloth covered with fruits such as watermelon, pomegranates and persimmons, to which different kinds of nuts and sweets are added.
A distinctive feature of the night is the group reading of random poems by the great fourteenth century Persian author Hafez for fortune-telling purposes, what is called Fal-e Hafez.
Explainer: Iran, despite sanctions, has routes to Covid-19 vaccines hindustantimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hindustantimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.