NCRI – The Iranian regime is attempting to outlaw the nation’s ancient fire festival because it represents ‘negative cultural behaviour’ that poses a threat to the ruling dictatorship.
The population has traditionally used the event on the last Wednesday of the Iranian year to air their grievances against their leaders.
But senior clerics now fear the looming festivities could escalate into nationwide anti-government protests and the burning of Khamenei posters ahead of the June presidential elections.
Damavand City governor Saeid Afshar Naderi said on Tuesday: “Despite our country’s Islamic values, the fire festival ceremony on the last Wednesday of the year has changed into a negative cultural behavior.
“The fire festival has no philosophical existence, scientific base and logical explanation.”
His comments come after senior regime cleric Mahdavi Kermani, the temporary Friday Prayer Leader of Tehran, called on parliament in January to uproot the Chaharshanbe-suri (Fire Festival) celebrations.
And Kermani told MPs that maintaining the country’s religious culture was the main goal, and added: “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.
