Hawzah News Agency - (Mashhad - Iran) - Due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus and forced stay of a group of foreign pilgrims in Iran, Astan Quds Razavi, as a part of its duty, hosts these pilgrims in Mashhad.

Stating the above, Hoj. Mohammad Ali Movahedi, the director of the AQR Center for International Affairs said that since last March, when the outbreak of the virus became serious in Mashhad, a group of international pilgrims received AQR services.

“AQR, in cooperation with other departments, including the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in eastern Iran, the Governorate of Khorasan Razavi, etc., has taken the necessary measures to host and make preparations for the return of these pilgrims,” he said.

Referring to rendering medical services to these pilgrims, he added that the center, in cooperation with medical centers under the AQR supervision has so far tested 800 international pilgrims for the virus.

According to him, the center has made coordination for the return of 600 foreign pilgrims to their homeland, while efforts are underway to facilitate the return of the remaining ones.

Hoj. Movahedi also pointed out that most of the international pilgrims are from Bahrain. “Since March 8, more than 120,000 hot meals have been served among these pilgrims, and in addition to meeting the basic needs and their accommodation at night we are trying to perform cultural and religious programs for these pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan.”

Most of these pilgrims are from Pakistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Ghana and Iraq, and all necessary measures are being taken to facilitate their return.