Security Forces Fail in Gilan-e Gharb; Thousands Celebrate Nowruz

News sources have reported that despite the opposition and obstruction from the Islamic Republic's security institutions against holding Nowruz celebrations in the city of Gilan-e Gharb in Kermanshah province, the event was attended by 'thousands' of people. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, following a public call by a group of civil and cultural activists in Gilan-e Gharb to hold a 'grand Nowruz celebration' in the city on Thursday, the second of Farvardin, security institutions had pressured and threatened the organizers in recent days, demanding the cancellation of the event. Accordingly, Islamic Republic security forces arrived at the event site on Thursday morning to 'collect banners and other materials prepared for the celebration.' They also blocked the roads leading to the Nowruz celebration site in the 'Navdar' area, four kilometers from Gilan-e Gharb, to prevent people from attending the event. Over the past four decades, senior government officials and various institutions of the Islamic Republic have opposed the holding of ancient Iranian celebrations, especially cultural and historical ceremonies related to 'Nowruz.' On the other hand, the human rights organization 'Hengaw' published images of the people's presence at the Nowruz ceremony in Gilan-e Gharb, where a large crowd attended despite the threats and arrests of civil activists and organizers. Previously, the Gilan-e Gharb governorate had issued a statement prohibiting the event. A 'reliable local source' told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network: 'The pressure from security institutions began after the widespread call for the Nowruz celebration by civil and cultural activists in Gilan-e Gharb. Initially, they attempted to cancel the event by threatening the organizers, and when they were unsuccessful, they tried to prevent people's attendance by being present at the event site and the roads leading to this area from Thursday morning.' According to him, despite all these pressures and also 'severe internet disruptions' in the city, thousands of people from Gilan-e Gharb headed towards 'Navdar' from Thursday morning, but the blocking of the roads leading to this area by military-security forces caused severe traffic jams on the surrounding roads, leading many to try to reach the celebration site 'on foot.' According to 'Hengaw,' this ancient Iranian celebration was held with the 'performance of an epic song' by Bordin Jafari, an artist from Gilan-e Gharb, and despite all the threats and pressures, it was attended by 'over 30,000 people.'