![\"4-shanbeh-suri-200\"](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/03\/4-shanbeh-suri-200.gif\" "\\"4-shanbeh-suri-200\\"")
NCRI \u2013 Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security\u00a0has warned its agents at offices around the country that confronting fire festival participants could trigger street protests on a massive scale.<\/p>\nNCRI \u2013 Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security\u00a0has warned its agents at offices around the country that confronting fire festival participants could trigger street protests on a massive scale.<\/p>\n
MOIS chiefs also urged agents to wear plainclothes and not walk alone in cities for fear of being attacked, according to reports from inside the regime.<\/p>\n
Mullahs fear people will use the festival to protest against their dictatorship.<\/p>\n
The head of the security forces in Bushehr, southern Iran, said: “We will not allow any gatherings during the fire festival. All the cities of Bushehr Province have been divided and security forces will have a widespread presence from 4 pm.<\/p>\n
“We are going to try to avoid any gatherings that could threaten the security situation and playing with fire that could damage property.”<\/p>\n
Intelligence Ministry agents have also approached all stores and production units in Isfahan and warned them that selling firecrackers or explosives would be punished with a year in prison.<\/p>\n
Lighting fires in front of shops would mean losing trading licenses and being jailed for two years in prison, agents warned.<\/p>\n
Iran’s deputy police commander Ahmadreza Radan also said last week that anyone staging demonstrations during the nation’s annual fire festival would be jailed for a month.<\/p>\n
The regime’s latest bid to crush dissent comes after security forces began arresting lorry drivers delivering festival firecrackers 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 – Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security has warned its agents at offices around the country that confronting fire festival participants could trigger street protests on a massive scale. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[175],"class_list":["post-13136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-society","tag-updated"],"yoast_head":"\n