Iran's parliament has banned on airplanes from flying in the country during the Azan, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Wednesday. "According to the new directive, airplanes are banned from flying during Azan, especially during the morning prayers," Mehr quoted the spokesman for parliament's cultural committee Ali Taheri as saying.

The head of the Aviation Organisation, Hamid Reza Pahlevani, said aircraft will be allowed to take off 30 minutes after the Azan to the morning prayer so that passengers have the time "to carry out their religious duties", the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported.

Copyright Reuters, 2012