Iranian Regime Fears Gatherings Around the Fire Festival Turning Into Protests

As the Iranian people prepare to celebrate Chaharshanbeh Suri (Fire Festival), the Iranian Security Forces are ramping up throughout the country to discourage large gatherings for the celebration. The Fire Festival is an ancient tradition, one that has been discouraged by the mullahs throughout the regime’s history. 

Due to the massive protests that started at the end of last year and continued into January, the regime is particularly fearful of any large gatherings being turned into anti-government protests. Previous uprisings have shown the Iranian regime that given the chance, the Iranian people would be willing to stand up against the harsh fundamentalism of the mullahs. 

The regime is right to be concerned, as the Iranian people continue to be fed up with economic conditions of high unemployment and inflation, while the ruling class is full of examples of corruption and funding of military operations throughout the Middle East. 

An announcement from the South Khorasan Security Forces said that 50,000 tons of various fireworks materials have been seized this year. The business license of any shop found selling these materials will be revoked, a sign that the regime fears this national celebration could be turned into a political challenge calling for the end of the regime. 

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran has a command inside the country, and they are already calling for mobilization in connection with the Fire Festival. 

“The national festival of Chaharshanbeh Suri, a ceremony celebrating freedom and light in the darkness is approaching. The uprising is flaring again in Iran…At the national festival of Chaharshanbe Suri; every alley will be a trench, every house a castle, and every street will turn into a battlefield for the campaign for freedom. At the national ceremony of Chaharshanbeh Suri, the young people will initiate another insurrection against the clerical dictatorship….There is no stopping the storm of uprising, and it will continue until the overthrow of religious fascism with the slogans of death to the principles of (rule of clergy),” said the call from the PMOI. 

According to the Public Relations Department of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Ali Salehi, who is the public prosecutor for the city of Shiraz, said, “As we approach the end of the year and [Fire Festival], we have dedicated a special branch to deal with investigation of alleged offenses and related issues.” 

It is clear that the regime is attempting to get a handle on the movement of potential protesters by tracking fireworks and other elements of the celebration. Additionally, the regime is likely to resort to its previous tactics of using social media to find the organizers of any potential protests. Their repressive measures are meant to protect the regime at all costs, even though the well-being of the Iranian people is not on the minds of the regime. 

The Judiciary of Iran is prepared to deal harshly with any individuals who are seen as participating in any form of protest. While these repressive measures have protected the regime in the past, it is clear that the Iranian people are reaching the point where the threats of violence from the regime will not be enough to deter them from unseating the regime.