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Jordan Lifts Lockdown on Fridays as Cases Drop

A man attends Friday prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan after the government eased the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, at al-Husseini mosque in Amman, Jordan April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Muath Freij
A man attends Friday prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan after the government eased the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, at al-Husseini mosque in Amman, Jordan April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Muath Freij
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Jordan Lifts Lockdown on Fridays as Cases Drop

A man attends Friday prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan after the government eased the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, at al-Husseini mosque in Amman, Jordan April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Muath Freij
A man attends Friday prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan after the government eased the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, at al-Husseini mosque in Amman, Jordan April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Muath Freij

Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs Sakhr Dodin has announced a government decision to lift the weekly lockdown on Friday, allowing citizens to perform evening and Tarawih prayers in mosques.

The curfew was imposed on Fridays in light of the high number of Covid-19 cases, with the last Friday lockdown announced on February 26, after the number of daily cases in February exceeded 4,000, according to Agence France Presse.

“The decision to ease lockdown measures on Fridays was taken at the request of 95 lawmakers,” said Dodin, the official spokesperson for the government.

However, the government decided to maintain curfew hours for both institutions and individuals; it starts at six and seven in the evening and continues until six in the morning the next day for economic sectors and citizens.

“This is the maximum that can be done at present, given the epidemiological situation and the emergence of mutations, the last of which is the Indian one, which has begun spreading in many countries across the globe,” Dudin added.

Jordan recorded on Wednesday 1,910 cases and 47 deaths, bringing the total number of infections and fatalities to 708,000 and 8,754, respectively. Last Sunday, Dudin said that the government aims for a “safe summer” and lifting all forms of restrictions by July.

In a joint press conference of the ministers of information and health, the government linked the decisions concerning precautionary measures to hospital capacities, the availability of intensive care beds and the demand for oxygen equipment.

Dr. Firas Al-Hawari, Jordan’s minister of health, announced that the government is reviewing precautionary measures every two weeks after assessing the epidemiological situation in the country, indicating that Jordan has moved from the first wave of infections to the second in two weeks, with the second wave 30 percent more severe than the previous one.

Hawari revealed that lifting Friday and night-time curfews contributed to the increase in the number of COVID-19 related cases and deaths during the second wave by 48% and 18% respectively, stressing that “had it not been for the restrictive measures in place, the number of cases would have increased by 250%.”

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Zarif Warns of All-Out Civil War in Syria, Proposes Initiative for Regional Dialogue

Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)
Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)
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Zarif Warns of All-Out Civil War in Syria, Proposes Initiative for Regional Dialogue

Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)
Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iranian Presidency)

Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and former Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, warned on Tuesday of an all-out civil war in Syria.
His comments came in an initiative calling for dialogue between countries in the region, including the new government in Syria.
In an op-ed in The Economist on Monday, republished by the Iranian IRNA news agency, the Vice President outlined an approach to regional security and economic development through the creation of the Muslim West Asian Dialogue Association (MWADA), meaning “amity” in Arabic, with the aim to foster peaceful coexistence and equitable partnerships.
He said the initiative’s key priority is the establishment of immediate sustainable, permanent ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
Iran's influence in the Middle East has suffered setbacks following Israeli attacks on its Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah allies, and the subsequent fall of President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria.
Zarif’s initiative comes amid heightened expectations in Tehran over US President-elect Donald Trump's policy towards Iran as he prepares to take office in the White House.
Syria’s Challenge
Zarif said MWADA invites all core Muslim countries in West Asia, including the future government of Syria to engage in comprehensive negotiations.
This initiative should be grounded in the sublime values of our common religion, Islam, and on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-intervention and collective security,” he wrote.
Iran has spent billions of dollars supporting Bashar Assad during the war in Syria, and has deployed Revolutionary Guard troops in the country to keep its ally in power since the civil war erupted in 2011.
Lately, Ahmad al-Sharaa, head of the new Syrian government, made statements criticizing the role Iran has played in Syria over the past years.
In his op-ed, Zarif said, “post-Assad Syria presents a major challenge to us all.”
He said that unbridled Israeli aggression disregarding Syrian sovereignty, foreign interference undermining Syrian territorial integrity, horrifying scenes of violence and brutality reminiscent of ISIS savagery, and ethnic and sectarian violence—which may lead to an all-out civil war—require the immediate attention of the proposed MWADA.
The Iranian official added that a proposed MWADA Development Fund can finance critical infrastructure projects, particularly in devastated post-conflict areas.
Additionally, he said, governance reforms in Syria—as a basis for economic assistance—will promote accountability and lay the groundwork for a safe and stable country where women and minorities can thrive.
Concerning Palestine, Zarif said the humanitarian disaster also remains critical for regional stability.
“MWADA must prioritize Palestinian self-determination and support just solutions while fully respecting the aspirations of the people. This involves not just political solutions but also economic opportunities and the recognition of Palestinian rights,” he wrote.
Security of Navigation
Concerning relations with Saudi Arabia, Zarif said partnership between Tehran and Riyadh, two of the region’s most influential powers—will play a crucial role.
“By fostering unity and brotherhood among Shiite and Sunni Muslims, we can counter the extremism and sectarian strife that have historically destabilized the region,” he said.
Zarif also suggested a new regional cooperation on freedom of navigation, including joint maritime-security patrols.
He said the region is home to strategic chokepoints including the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
“Iran, given its location and security expertise, is uniquely positioned to contribute to the security of waterways like the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote, adding that others can play a leading role in securing Suez and Bab al-Mandab.
He then recalled the Hormuz Peace Endeavor or HOPE, which he suggested in 2019. The initiative came amid escalation of tensions in regional waters, after Iran responded to US sanctions by seizing foreign oil tankers.
Zarif’s initiative also called on working towards a region free from nuclear weapons and reviving the Iran nuclear deal (the JCPOA).
Iran’s Role
Speaking about Iran’s role, Zarif said like other participants, Tehran would play an indispensable role.
“Over the past 45 years, my country has demonstrated remarkable resilience and self-sufficiency in security and defense, managing to survive and even thrive; not just without foreign assistance, but in spite of pressure from extra-regional powers,” he wrote.
The widely believed perception of Iran losing its arms in the region stems from a wrong assumption that Iran has had proxy-patron relationships with resistance forces, he added.
Zarif said that trying to attribute it to Iran may serve a public relations campaign but will obstruct any resolution.
MWADA challenges us to re-imagine the region not as a battleground but as a hub of MWADA, amity and empathy, characterized by the pursuit of shared opportunities and collective prosperity, he noted.
“Transforming West Asia into a beacon of peace and collaboration is not just an idealistic aspiration; it is both a strategic imperative and an achievable goal that requires only commitment, dialogue and a shared vision,” the Iranian official said.
In a video message delivered in English on the occasion of Christmas, the Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs warned that the escalating tensions in the Middle East could lead to an uncontrollable global crisis.