Iran's Nowruz New Year, typically joyous, haunted by virus

At this time of year, the meandering arcades and alleys of Tehran's Grand Bazaar and other markets would usually be filled with shoppers rushing to stock up before the Persian New Year, Nowruz a major holiday in Iran, when the entire country goes on vacation.

Instead, roll-down shutters have closed most shops. Merchants who keep their stores open carefully take cash and debit cards between their index finger and thumb from worried shoppers wearing face masks.

The new coronavirus has ravaged Iran, straining its hospitals amid over 17,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,100 deaths. It has also cut into the ancient Nowruz celebration that marks the start of spring and has further slowed the Islamic Republic's economy.

But though the traditional shopping spree is missing, Iranians appear not to be heeding warnings by health officials to stay home and avoid crowds to curb the risk of a further spread of the virus.

"It is not like previous years, at all," said Mohammad Khademi, a garment trader in downtown Tehran's Baharestan Square. "No customer comes in."
"If you produce anything other than staples and necessary goods, nobody will buy from you and you'll be left with products with no consumers," said entrepreneur Behnam Tavakkoli. "This leads to unemployment of thousands of people, recession and high prices."
"After nearly 10 days in self-quarantine, I came out for less than an hour and bought bread and fruits for two weeks," said Samira Khani, a homemaker who wheezed while carrying a big basket full of bread, apples and oranges. "I feared that there may be a shortage because of the corona."
"We do not offer food for publicity here. That's why we did not invite the press," said a Guard lieutenant, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to speak to journalists. "We are here for the sake of God and to protect our people."