Iran parl’t committee votes to set Thursday as weekend holiday

The Iranian Parliament’s Social Committee, at a crossroads to choose between Thursday and Saturday as a second holiday in Iran besides Friday, has opted for Thursday.

In a meeting, the committee passed the bill defining working days in Iran as Saturday to Wednesday.

The months-long heated debate over officially choosing either of the two days has created a rift between those who favor a synchronized economy and trade with the West, and those who cite “religious restrictions” on choosing Saturday as a holiday.

The main purpose of choosing a second holiday in the country was to reduce working hours from 44 in a week to 40.

According to Constitution, the bill needs to be approved by the Parliament and the Guardian Council before becoming a law.

The bill, however, does not apply to certain organizations and institutions, including Customs and hospitals, because of the nature of their services.

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