NCRI – Iranians are defying a crackdown by the regime on the annual Fire Festival and staging public celebrations ahead of the end-of-year event.
Paranoid ruling mullahs fear that people will use the traditional festival to stage protests against their dictatorship.
The country’s state-run media has already reported the seizure of thoousands of tons of firecrackers and explosives, and the state security forces have openly revealed the threat they see the event poses.
State Security Forces commander Ahmadi Moqaddam told the Fars news agency: “Our experience shows that we had not had a successful management in the fire festival ceremonies so far.
“We are trying to tighten the space for those making trouble.”
Another regime official said: “The fire festival has now turned into playing with fire crackers and street fights. In the past, people traditionally lit the fire and give it to the poor as a gift to warm themselves.
“We have therefore had to investigate the distortion of the traditions of Haft Sin (Iranian New Year) and the fire festival and put a halt to them. They are turning this beautiful tradition into a weapon.”
Traffic police Colonel Mehraii also warned of New Year checkpoints in all provinces in a bid to halt freedom of expression on the streets.
But despite the clampdown, the reports of festivities around the country were widespread.
In Tehran’s Pars district and in Mashahd, north-eastern Iran, people began celebrating with firecrackers after nightfall on Tuesday.
In the western city of Khoramabad, the regime closed down VPN networks so people could not bypass internet filtering to organise demonstrations.
In Sanadaj, western Iran, the regime also turned off the mobile phone network from dawn until 2pm on Tuesday over fears phones would be used to organise protests.
The ruthless stance by the ruling clerics came after Iran’s deputy police commander Ahmadreza Radan warned that anyone staging demonstrations during the festival would be jailed for up to a month.
Radan issued his threat via the state-run Fars news agency today, stating: “If you cross the red line, you will become a guest of State Security Forces until April 6th.
“If anyone cross the police, his vehicle will be confiscated or that person will be incarcerated.
“Certainly obeying the law would be much more beneficial than losing your New Year holidays.”
The Iranian New Year begins on March 21 – with Radan threatening to jail demonstrators for at least three weeks from that date.
The regime’s latest bid to crush dissent comes after security forces have began arresting lorry drivers delivering firecrackers festival last month.
Senior regime cleric Mahdavi Kermani also called on parliament to clamp down on the Chaharshanbe-suri (Fire Festival) celebrations.
He told MPs in January: “The issue of fire festival and its negative consequences continues to exist in the country. You can act to uproot this issue.”
During the festival – which dates back to the 7th Century – Iranians traditionally celebrate by lighting bonfires and jumping through the flames.
In recent years, security forces have been cracking down on celebration up to two months before it begins by banning firecrackers, sparklers, rockets and even home-made grenades.
