NCRI – On the eve of the Iranian traditional fire festival of Chaharshanbehsouri on March 17 (the last Wednesday night of the Persian calendar year), which annually turns into widespread demonstration of the Iranian people’s hatred of the ruling clerics, the regime’s suppressive forces have started to threaten people with a crackdown.
The state-run Asr-e Iran website quoted one of Tehran’s State Security Forces (SSF) commanders, Mehdi Yarandi, as saying on Thursday that people who “act inappropriately” on Fire Festival will be seriously confronted.
He also said that the regime’s SSF “is prepared to arrest opportunist individuals” “by setting up stationary and mobile check points all over Tehran province.”
Yarandi attempted to prevent people from participating in the ceremony and warned people that during the festival “avoid even coming out of your houses except to do urgent chores, or if you do come out, when you see a gathering of several youngsters, stay away and divert your path.”
He confessed that the national celebration has progressively become a platform over the past years for the staging of nationwide protests against the regime. He said the Fire Festival “has been adapted to the current times and takes on more intensity every year.”
Other officials have also begun to warn against participation in the national celebration.
Last year, despite the extensive crackdown the celebrations turned into anti-government protests, setting fire to pictures of leaders of the Iranian regime.
