
Despite the widespread outbreak of the coronavirus and the country’s Ministry of Health warning, on September 6, 2020, the beginning of the academic year 1399-1400 was held by order of the former President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani. According to the decision of the Ministry of Education, schools with a large number of students are divided into two groups; some go to school on even days and the other group to school on odd days. It should be noted that the Ministry of Education is in charge of about 15 million students and It has always faced a lack of funding and facilities. Critics believe that the insistence on holding classes in person could be due to a lack of facilities for e-learning.
The following photo collection is a narration of the first day of the school year for the female elementary school students of Monira Asemi School in Tehran who attended the school in groups with a certain number and limited time frames after the beginning of the pandemic.

Beginning a New School Year during COVID

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of the most influential political figures in Islamic Republic of Iran, passed away on January 8th 2017. He was one of the few opposing Islamic Republic approach in dealing with general oppositions to results of the 2009 presidential election. It was due to such objections that he had been accused of colliding with protesters by ruling officials and as a result, was dismissed from the position of chairman of the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership as well as the Friday’s Prayer Imam. Owing to the fact that he was a popular character among many of supporters of the Green Movement and opponents of 2009 election results, a great number of people attended Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s funeral. The overcrowd led to 23 injuries. According to statistics announced by Tehran municipality, at least two and a half million people attended Ayatollah Hashemi’s funeral in Tehran.

Amir Salehi

Amir Salehi

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s funeral