Business Hours
Time for Business
Business hours are the hours during the day in which business is commonly conducted.
Stores & Shopping Centers
Hours vary throughout the country and in Mashhad, stores and shopping centers near the Holy Shrine keep different hours than those away from the Holy Shrine. In general, major shopping centers and stores further away from the Holy Shrine are closed on Fridays and other official holidays, although some are open Friday afternoons.
Stores located within the vicinity of the Holy Shrine usually open at 8 am and remain open all day until late night.
Stores not within the vicinity of the Shrine usually open at 10 am and close around 1:30 or 2:00 pm for lunch. They reopen around 5 or 6 pm and remain open until 10 pm.
Note that shopping centers and chain stores have their own individual hours and it is best to contact them for their specific hours of operation.
Medical Clinics / Pharmacies
Specific medical clinics and pharmacies are open 24/7, while the rest open at 9 am, closed at 1 pm, and reopen at about 5:30 and closed again at 9 pm.
Banks, Money Exchanges, & Government Offices
These places have similar schedules and so follow the normal workday schedule of 7:30 am to 2 pm from Saturday to Wednesday. On Thursdays, the hours are from 7:30 am to 1 pm. On Fridays and official holiday they are closed.
However, nowadays, for energy conservation these places are open at 6:30 until 1:30.
Banks, Money Exchanges, & Government Offices
These places have similar schedules and so follow the normal workday schedule of 7:30 am to 2 pm from Saturday to Wednesday. On Thursdays, the hours are from 7:30 am to 1 pm. On Fridays and official holiday they are closed.
However, nowadays, for energy conservation these places are open at 6:30 until 1:30.
Restaurants
Formal and Traditional Restaurants: Normally these types of restaurants open for lunch around 12:30 or 1 pm and remain open until about 3 pm; although some do not open for lunch. They will reopen for dinner at 7:30 pm until 11 pm.
Fast Food Restaurants, Sandwich Shops, and Coffee Shops: Depending on the place, breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner are served. These places usually remain open all day and closed late at night, around 11 pm or 12 am.