IRNA – Supreme Leader's Office in a statement announced that Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's speech routinely held every year in the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashad to mark the arrival of new Iranian year (Nowruz) is called off due to health recommendations to prevent the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The statement said the Supreme Leader he will not travel to Mashhad on the occasion either.

The decision was made due to the strict advice of the specialists to avoid holding public gatherings and cancel trips to help contain the highly contagious disease, the statement said.

Hopefully, dear people will soon embrace healthy life by obeying the health standards fully and praying the Almighty God and those suffering from the disease will soon recover, it said.