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Iran has declared a two-day national public holiday in response to high temperatures across the country, according to state news. This Wednesday and Thursday, all Iranian governmental organizations will be closed. This includes banks and schools. Children, elders, and people with health conditions are advised to stay inside.
Near the southwestern border, temperatures are projected to exceed 50 degrees Celsius (123 degrees Fahrenheit) and meet or exceed 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in many other areas including the capital.
Iran’s declaration comes as a response to public health and infrastructural concerns due to the recent summer heatwaves that have put strain on countries around the world. This summer, countries worldwide have seen exceptionally high temperatures. Only days ago, wildfires ravaged parts of Greece. According to the EU’s climate observatory, this past July was the warmest ever recorded.
The New York Times reported that many Iranians have attributed this national shutdown to a governmental inability to meet energy demands. This problem is interconnected with Iran’s heatwave–as temperatures rise, more people turn on air conditioning, in turn straining the electric grid.
Read also: Unprecedented Heatwave: Morocco and Algeria Record Africa’s Highest Temperatures
