Iranian civilians have been told they may not conduct a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia during the month of Ramadan. The Ministry of Health in Tehran says the danger of infection by the H1N1 virus would be too large if masses of Iranian pilgrims congregated in Mecca and other holy locations in Saudi Arabia and then returned home.

Since the end of June, 144 cases of Mexican flu have been recorded in Iran. Half of those have been detected in people returning from aboard. Nobody has yet died from the Mexican flu in Iran.

Pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia are most popular during Ramadan, an annual Islamic religious observance during which Muslims fast in the hours of daylight. This year, Ramadan begins on 22 August.

Saudi Arabia has also announced measures to prevent infection with the H1N1 virus. People older than 65 and younger than 12 will be refused permission to take part in the Hadj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, as these are the groups most at risk from the virus.

Other countries in the Middle East have also instituted travel restrictions for pilgrims planning to travel to holy places in Saudi Arabia.