Iran is under a ‘heat lockdown’ this weekend, with temperatures rising to 40 and even 50 degrees Celsius in large parts of the country on Saturday and Sunday.
Banks and government offices will only be open half a day on Saturday and remain closed completely on Sunday. Schools and universities will be closed anyway for the summer holidays. According to the government, the heat poses serious health risks to the population.
The heat wave in Iran has been going on for two weeks. In particular, elderly people and children have had to be admitted to hospitals recently with sunstroke or other heat symptoms. The situation is most serious in the south and southeast of the country, with temperatures rising to over 50 degrees Celsius.
In the capital Tehran, authorities are warning of air pollution. Many residents flee to places on the Caspian Sea, which is slightly cooler.
Iran has a population of almost 90 million. Large parts of the country are desert.