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Iran
Focus
 Tehran, Iran, Mar. 14 – Despite a massive crackdown to
prevent this year’s “fire festival” from turning into scenes of
anti-governments protests, young people are taking to streets across Iran to defy
the government ban and celebrate the last Tuesday of the Persian year with a
big bang, Iran Focus has learnt.
Already steps have been taken to prevent widespread protests from flaring
during the traditional Persian festival celebrated by Iranians for over 2,500
years.
 Mobile phone
communication lines have been suspended in several parts of key Iranian
provinces and an order has been issued in the Iranian capital banning
motorbike riding on Tuesday.
Iran’s
State Security Forces (SSF) have also stepped up
arrests of people for distribution of fireworks in the past several days. The
festival is barely tolerated by
the authorities in the Islamic Republic, who object to it on the grounds that
it is “un-Islamic”.
SSF chief Ismaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam
announced that large quantities of fireworks have been discovered and
confiscated by his forces which have been placed on high alert.
The Tehran Public Prosecution Office has issued a statement, announcing that
individuals caught creating “disruption in public order” will receive jail
sentences of between three months to one year and up to 74 lashes on their
backs in accordance with Iran’s
Islamic laws.
Individuals caught distributing fireworks will receive between three and ten
years in prison, the statement said.
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.
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.
Iran’s official state news
agency has announced that in the nights leading to the festivities, fireworks
and loud sounds of explosions have been heard across Tehran.
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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