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Iran reopens holy shrines amid easing of coronavirus restrictions

Closed since mid-March, the religious sites are opening their doors with social distancing measures in place.
Iranians visit the Shah Abdol-Azim shrine in the capital Tehran on May 25, 2020, following the reopening of major Shiite shrines across the Islamic republic, more than two months after they were closed because of the Middle East's deadliest novel coronavirus outbreak. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

More than two months after closing its popular shrines over coronavirus concerns, Iran has reopened them as part of an easing of restrictions across the country. 

Mosques and key religious sites in Iran that attract millions of Muslim pilgrims each year were closed in mid-March. Mobs of angry Shiite hard-liners stormed the country’s holy shrines in protest, despite fatwas from Shiite clerical authorities urging people to refrain from gathering

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