Explosive Celebrations of Chaharshanbe Suri Shake Tehran

As sunset approached and the night of Chaharshanbe Suri arrived, powerful explosions shook many parts of Tehran. This comes after conservative officials in Tehran announced for the first time since the Islamic Revolution that they had designated quieter areas for youth to celebrate with firecrackers, but it seems there has not been much enthusiasm for this option. One young Tehran resident throwing a large firecracker towards Tehranpars Square said, 'Chaharshanbe Suri is not a tradition for which the government can find a place. In fact, by throwing these firecrackers, we express both our joy and our anger and hatred towards the current situation in this country. What other way do we have to express our dissatisfaction? We want a little fun. We want to enjoy a night.' Another friend of his added, 'We really don't want to disturb people with these noises; we hope they understand us. We need to release our energy somehow and also show that we are not happy with the conditions we are living in.' Previously, Iranian judicial officials had announced that intelligence forces, the Basij, and police would severely confront those organizing Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations in the streets. This tradition, which has been repeated since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, seems to have taken on a harsher face this year with the widespread presence of riot police in many parts of the city.