Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Early Reports of Chahar Shanbeh Suri [Festival of Fire]

DoctorZin reports:
I am getting many reports from inside of Iran regarding the widespread celebration of the Persian festival of Chahar Shanbeh Suri, also known as the festival of fire. The festival has been banned by the regime since it is of Zoroastrian origins and is not Islamic. For years now, in a show of defiance the people of Iran celebrate this festival in the streets where people create small fires and then jump over the fire to leave their past worries and problems in the fire.

Because the celebration involves small fires in each neighborhood the regime has had a difficult time controlling this. I am hearing reports that one can see fires all over Tehran and the sound of firecrackers in the air. The regime has responded by trying to shut down some of these celebrations and arrest those celebrating the festival. This has created clashes between the security forces and the people.

I have also heard that there is a large effort to make a visible celebration in Esfahan where OPEC Ministers are meeting and the world media is in attendance.

I would love an aerial shot of that. I will publish more reports soon.