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Iran
Focus
 Tehran, Iran, Mar. 11 – Iran’s
State Security Forces have arrested ten people in Tehran
for distribution of fireworks days before Iranians celebrate a traditional
“fire” festival which dates back to 500 B.C. Persia. The festival is barely tolerated by the authorities in the Islamic
Republic, who object to it on the grounds that it is “un-Islamic”.
Greater Tehran’s
police chief, confirming the arrests, announced that people caught
distributing fireworks and sonic-booms would be identified and dealt with
severely, the hard-line daily Kayhan reported on
Saturday.
Brigadier General Morteza Talai
said that quantities of fireworks were discovered and confiscated.
During the festival, known as ‘chaharshanbeh souri’ – literally, Feast of Wednesday – people jump over
bonfires to “drive away evil”. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, however, Iran’s theocratic
leaders have made strenuous efforts to stamp out the festivities, but to no
avail. In recent years, there have been extensive clashes between festive
crowds and the security forces deployed to prevent street celebrations. This
year the event falls on March 14.
Meanwhile, Iran’s
main opposition group, the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK), has issued an
appeal to people across the country to take part in the celebrations on the
night and turn it into an anti-government protest.
Last year, despite the general ban Iranians across the country came out into
the streets using the celebration as a pretext to express their anger towards
the ruling theocracy. In several districts of Tehran
effigies of Iran’s
leaders such as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
were burnt.
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