Anyone who knows Iranian customs and traditions will tell you that “Chaharshanbe soori” is one of the country’s longstanding festivities dating back to the days of the Persian Empire some 7000 years. It is an occasion where Iranians rejoice, celebrate and jump over small fires, ridding themselves of the old and making way for Nowrouz “the new day”, that marks the first day of spring (on March 21st).
This year however something out of the ordinary but not unexpected has occurred. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged Iranians to shun next week’s Persian fire festival (which falls on March 16th) by labeling it as being un-Islamic.”
The supreme leader of the Islamic regime has stated on his website that Charshanbe Soori has “no basis in Sharia (Islamic religious law) and is the cause for great harm and corruption, which is why it should be scrapped.”
The opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has also urged his supporters not to use the event for anti-government rallies in fear that provoking the hardliners during this night of celebration could lead to more crackdown, imprisonment and even deaths.
