Iran’s Supreme Leader will not give a speech in Mashhad on the occasion of Persian New Year Norouz – with the cited excuse that this year Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month, coincides with the ancient Persian festivities.
But, the cancellation of the speech – meant to have taken place at the mausoleum of the 8th Islamic Shia Imam – likely has other reasons. Particularly since, Ali Khamenei does not typically stay away from the public during Ramadan, unlike his predecessor Ayatollah Khomeini.
Throughout his rule, akin to the Grinch stealing Christmas, Khamenei has persistently sought to hijack the non-Islamic celebration of Norouz (Nowruz) with his annual speech. Exploiting the influx of Muslim pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Reza, he has used the day to showcase his popularity among believers. The sole exception to this pattern occurred during the peak three years of the Covid pandemic.
This year, it’s probable that the leader of the Islamic Republic is either worried about the absence of a crowd – or is struggling with health issues.
The war against Nowruz
The attempt to steal Norouz traces back 45 years to the Islamic Revolution. In 1979, upon seizing power, Islamists immediately made an attempt to abolish the two-week Norouz holiday for schools and universities, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Subsequently, they set their sights on the 5-day vacation of government employees at the year's onset, only to encounter staunch resistance from the workers. Following this, they proceeded to systematically cancel Norouz celebrations in public spaces, imposing bans under various pretexts. Consequently, Nowruz was gradually forced into the privacy of people's homes.
Not stopping there, the clerical regime moved to eradicate the celebrations and customs associated with Norouz Day, which falls on the Spring Equinox. They cracked down on Chahar Shanbeh Suri, the traditional event observed on the last Tuesday of the year, citing safety reasons due to the millennia-old Iranian tradition of fire jumping.
Celebrated on the 13th day of Norouz, Sizdah Be-dar, a day when Iranians traditionally seek solace in nature after the holiday season, was deemed environmentally hazardous. Authorities erected barriers on roads to prevent people from venturing into meadows, mountains, and forests. In an attempt to alter public perception, the government renamed this day "Nature Day," and yet despite several attempts in parliament, they failed to abolish the ancient tradition.
However, aspects of Norouz that could be utilized for the regime's propaganda, such as the leader's address broadcasted on state radio and television channels after the Spring equinox – but were Islamized.
The traditional Persian Norouz table saw a significant change imposed by Islamists, who replaced the revered Divan-e-Hafez, the masterpiece of the 14th-century Persian poet Hafez, with the Quran. The government's strategy with these measures was to make Islamic holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha into national holidays with extended breaks, while simultaneously eliminating ancient Persian holiday festivities such as Chaharshnbeh Suri, Mehregan, and the 13th of Norouz from the national calendar.
In contrast to Iranian monarchs, who traditionally celebrated Norouz with opulent banquets, gift-giving, and audiences with their subjects, Khomeini and Khamenei diverge in their approach to the holiday. While Khomeini remained out of the public eye during the 13-day spring festival, Khamenei broke this tactic by delivering a speech, often utilizing pilgrims as his audience.
In the process of Islamization, every aspect reminiscent of ancient Iran and its traditions was sidelined to make way for ceremonies, symbols, and signs of the Islamic era. Just as the grand Zoroastrian fire temples were converted into mosques following the Arab conquest, Iran’s new conquerors wanted to infuse and paint Nowruz with a religious hue.
Iranians defy Islamization
On the flip side, Iranians across the globe commemorate Norouz with increasing grandeur each year, regarding it as a fundamental aspect of their national identity. With the advent of the Spring equinox, millions meticulously arrange traditional Norouz tables (Sofre Haftsin), sharing photos of their festive displays with enthusiasm. Despite economic adversities, families steadfastly uphold cherished traditions, ensuring essentials like greenery (Sabzeh) and hyacinth (Sombol) are never omitted from the Sofre Haftsin.
Across Iranians in provinces, like Kurdistan, Khorasan, and Gilan, people defiantly uphold vibrant celebrations with traditional dances and attire – disregarding government restrictions. The age-old tradition of baking sweets for the New Year has experienced a resurgence, while households across the nation engage in thorough Spring cleaning rituals. While the state television sweeps the joy of Norouz under the rug, the journey of millions of citizens to neighboring countries to participate in the concerts of Iranian artists living abroad and Norouz celebrations has become a part of the tradition every year.
While the Islamic Republic and its allies proclaim themselves as the "axis of resistance" against Western influence in the region, it is the Iranian people who embody the genuine axis of resistance against coercive Islamism.
Mehdi Bagheri, the workers’ representative in Iran’s Supreme Council of Labor, said the council’s meeting on Wednesday failed to reach a final decision regarding the minimum wage as both the representatives of employers and the government do not “appreciate” workers and their efforts.
“We do not have much time to decide on the most important issue for workers and we are not the plaything of any group,” Bagheri stressed, further accusing the government and employers of manipulating statistics in an attempt to lower the worker’s minimum wage.
“I’ll make it clear that our job in the Supreme Council is to raise the living standards of the workers, not playing mathematical games,” he went on to say.
According to Bagheri, the other sides of negotiations try to avoid discussing the monthly livelihood basket for working families as they are aware that any accurate calculation of this component will result in a significant increase in workers’ wages.
Meanwhile, Nader Moradi, workers and retirees’ union activist, took the government to task for resisting even the minimal demands of the workers for wage determination.
The workers proposed a minimal rate of 195 million rials ($325) but the government keeps rejecting it, Moradi said, further adding, “If we take into account such items as housing and education, the minimum livelihood basket [base salary] for working families stands at 300 million rials (around $500).”
According to the activist, the government’s stance on the issue is shocking and unfathomable as just renting a house in the capital Tehran costs 100 to 120 million rials (165 to 200$).
Moradi also revealed that Iran’s Ministry of Health has backed the government’s position during the wage determination talks by proposing “a food basket” package which has significantly decreased the calorie needs of each person.
“With the government’s proposed calories, workers can’t live and breathe, let alone going to work or doing manual or intellectual labor for at least eight hours a day,” he pointed out.
On Tuesday, Ali Babaei, the spokesperson for the Labor Faction in the Iranian parliament, emphasized the need for fair wages for workers amidst dire economic challenges. He noted that workers are oppressed, their rights are often denied, and their job security remains uncertain.
In recent years, Iranian society has been grappling with severe economic problems. The continuous devaluation of the rial, particularly since the US withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal in 2018, has fueled inflation and plunged millions into poverty. Over the past six years, the rial has fallen 15-fold.
Official annual inflation hovers near 50 percent, much higher than the government’s average salary increase of 20 percent. Earlier in the month, Eqtesad 24 daily warned that nearly one-third of Iranians struggle below the poverty line. The report projected a concerning escalation in poverty rates, foreseeing that by the end of the year 1402 [March 20], the proportion of individuals below the poverty line could soar to as much as 40 percent.
An analysis of posts on Persian social media indicate that Iranians voice deep concern on a daily basis on social media about inflation and rising rents, mainly struggling to pay rent, especially in the capital, Tehran.