During last night’s Chaharshanbe Soori, an ancient pre-Islamic festival, 65 people have been wounded in Tehran. Both in Teheran and several other cities like Shiraz, Isfahan and Rasht, people were chanting “death to the dictator” and “death to Khamenei”. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday urged Iranians to dismiss the ancient practice of fire jumping and feasting on Chaharshanbe Soori, a festival held on the eve of the last Wednesday before spring – this year, March 16. In Mashhad, the chief prosecutor had said that those who engage in “disruptive behavior” during Chaharshanbe Soori would face “strong consequences.”
Mir-Hossein Mousavi, leader of the Green Movement, has praised Chaharshanbe Soori as the festival of “Light and Enlightenment”. Iranian opposition forces had already announced that they would take part in the festivities.