![](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/03\/4-shanbeh-suri-200.gif\" "\\"4-shanbeh-suri-200\\"")
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.<\/p>\nNCRI – Iranians are defying a crackdown by the regime on the annual Fire Festival and staging public celebrations ahead of the end-of-year event.<\/p>\n
Paranoid ruling mullahs fear that people will use the traditional festival to stage protests against their dictatorship.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
“We are trying to tighten the space for those making trouble.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Traffic police Colonel Mehraii also warned of New Year checkpoints in all provinces in a bid to halt freedom of expression on the streets.<\/p>\n
But despite the clampdown, the reports of festivities around the country were widespread.<\/p>\n
In Tehran’s Pars district and in Mashahd, north-eastern Iran, people began celebrating with firecrackers after nightfall on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In the western city of Khoramabad, the regime closed down VPN networks so people could not bypass internet filtering to organise demonstrations.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“If anyone cross the police, his vehicle will be confiscated or that person will be incarcerated.<\/p>\n
“Certainly obeying the law would be much more beneficial than losing your New Year holidays.”<\/p>\n
The Iranian New Year begins on March 21 – with Radan threatening to jail demonstrators for at least three weeks from that date.<\/p>\n
The regime’s latest bid to crush dissent comes after security forces have began arresting lorry drivers delivering firecrackers festival last month.<\/p>\n
Senior regime cleric Mahdavi Kermani also called on parliament to clamp down on the Chaharshanbe-suri (Fire Festival) celebrations.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
During the festival – which dates back to the 7th Century – Iranians traditionally celebrate by lighting bonfires and jumping through the flames.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[175],"class_list":{"0":"post-13082","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-iran-protests","8":"tag-updated"},"yoast_head":"\n