Iran has cancelled a number of major public events in its efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus as the number of deaths from it rose to 26, with 245 infections, as of Feb. 27.
One of the most significant steps taken is the cancellation of Friday prayers in Tehran, a gathering of particular religious and political significance in the country. It is at Friday prayers that top officials appear, and important positions and talking points are announced. It is, in short, the forum at which the government presents a unified front on major geopolitical issues.
