Iran International
Many Iranians say the year 1404 (which ended on March 20) was among the darkest they remember, yet as Nowruz arrives, its rituals offer a fragile but enduring sense of hope in even the most desperate times.
For many Iranians, the holiday is more than a celebration—it is an assertion of life in the face of uncertainty, a reminder that renewal is always possible, even in the darkest of years.
Iranians celebrate Nowruz at the exact moment of the spring equinox, which fell on the afternoon of March 20 this year. In Tehran, the atmosphere on Friday was described as surreal.
As people waited for the official announcement on television, a brief rain gave way to sunlight, and a double rainbow stretched across the sky. Images quickly circulated online, with many calling it a good omen for the country.
But the moment of celebration was short-lived. Just after the New Year was announced and greetings began, air defenses roared to life and explosions echoed across the capital. This marked the first time since the 1980s that Iranians were observing Nowruz during wartime.
For many, the outgoing year was defined by loss and upheaval. Social media has been filled with accounts describing it as a period of “pain and calamities,” marked by two wars, widespread displacement, and the bloodiest crackdown in history. Hundreds of thousands have reportedly fled their homes—twice in a single year—seeking safety elsewhere.
Davoud Heshmati, an Iranian journalist, captured the sentiment in a short post: “In these final hours of the year, it seems to me that what we can all agree on is that the year 1404 was a year of darkness.”
Grief remains fresh. Many mourn those killed in January, victims of the recent strikes and those of the 12-day war in June, and at least five young men executed in the final days of the year for political reasons.
Yet amid the trauma, the rhythms of Nowruz persist, albeit with far less energy and enthusiasm than in the past. In markets and homes, people continue to prepare for the holiday, clinging to rituals that symbolize renewal.
One user wrote: “The city is truly buzzing with the vibrancy of the holiday—shopping for sprouted grains, flowers, and sweets. How fortunate we are that, amid the war and its endless fear, Nowruz still keeps us standing tall.” Another added: “As long as Nowruz is alive we are too.”
Images from Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar—once packed with shoppers buying new clothes, sweets, and traditional items for the Haft-Seen table—have circulated widely in recent days. The display typically includes symbolic objects such as sabzeh (grain sprouts), wheat pudding, flowers, candles and goldfish. This year, however, the crowds appear thinner.
“Street vendors say in all these years, even during COVID, the place was never this quiet,” one Tehran resident noted online.
For those who did venture out, the experience was shaped by the realities of war. Faezeh, a Tehran resident, described using a brief period of calm to prepare for the holiday. “While laying the Haft-Seen I was thinking about how to place things so they won’t fall by tremors from the strikes. How resilient are humans?” she wrote.
In another post, she recounted how the sound of explosions and air-defense systems has become part of everyday life, along with the unsettling sight of destroyed buildings that had stood only hours earlier.
Yet even amid such scenes, many emphasize the symbolic power of Nowruz. “Above our heads is the roar of fighter jets and the sound of explosions, but here in the heart of the city, the pulse of life beats for Nowruz. Amid such darkness, we buy flowers and lay the Haft-Seen; because this ritual is our fortress. What has remained proud and eternal through the tempests of history... is Iran, Iran, Iran,” another user wrote.
Economic pressures have compounded the sense of crisis. Prices have surged, jobs have been lost, and some businesses—already weakened by the June conflict and the January crackdown—have shut down or failed to pay New Year bonuses. Reports from both media and social platforms suggest layoffs are becoming widespread.
At the same time, a prolonged internet shutdown—now stretching into its third week—has deepened the isolation felt by many Iranians. For families split between Iran and the diaspora, the inability to communicate during the New Year has been especially painful.
In a reflection of this frustration, Vahid Online played on the traditional greeting “May your every day be Nowruz!” by writing: “May your every day be ‘online’!”
Three protesters – Mehdi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi and Saeed Davoudi – were executed on Thursday after being accused of killing two police officers during unrest in January, according to the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency.
Mohammadi, a national-level wrestler who had competed internationally, denied the charges in court and said his confession had been obtained under torture, according to accounts from those close to him. Members of Iran’s wrestling community had also defended him, saying he had no history of violence.
Mohammadi had represented Iran in international wrestling events, including the 2024 Saitiev Cup in Russia, where he won a bronze medal.
His execution has drawn comparisons to wrestler Navid Afkari, whose case became a symbol of the use of capital punishment following protests.
Afkari was sentenced to death and executed in Shiraz after being accused and convicted of murdering a security guard during the 2018 Iranian protests.
Athletes remain in custody
A growing list of athletes, coaches and referees remain detained, many linked to the recent wave of protests as well as earlier unrest.
Among those named are footballer Mohammad Hossein Hosseini, water polo goalkeeper Ali Pishevarzadeh, marathon runner Niloufar Pas, kickboxing champion Benjamin Naghdi, teenager footballer Abolfazl Dokht, and boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.
Others include basketball coach Payam Vahidi, billiards coach Hamzeh Kazemi, aerobics coach Narges Heidari and former footballer Amir Reza Nasr Azadani, whose earlier arrest had already drawn international concern.
Several detainees are young athletes, including Amirhossein Ghaderzadeh, 19, and Abolfazl Dokht, raising alarm among campaigners who say they face similar charges and judicial processes.
Boxer Mohammad Mahshari, a bronze medalist at the 2024 Asian youth and under-23 championships, is also reported to be in custody.
The list extends to referees and lesser-known competitors, showing how deeply the crackdown has reached into Iran’s sporting community.
Pattern of executions after protest trials
Authorities accused those executed of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States, an allegation frequently used in cases linked to protests.
Cases linked to protest-related violence have repeatedly raised concerns over due process, including forced confessions, lack of access to legal representation and the exclusion of defense witnesses.
Saleh Mohammadi’s case followed that pattern, with those close to him saying CCTV evidence did not identify him and that alibi witnesses were not allowed to testify.
Sporting community under pressure
The crackdown has reverberated across Iran’s sporting world, where athletes have increasingly become visible participants in protests.
There is no single confirmed, comprehensive number specifically for athletes killed in the January 2026 protests. However, according to compiled lists from activists and sports networks, at least 65 athletes, coaches and referees have been identified among those killed during a crackdown in January.
The scale of the violence remains contested. Iran International reviewed documents proving that more than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, while other estimates suggest it could be significantly higher.
Earlier, more than 200 athletes signed open letters urging the International Olympic Committee to take stronger action and questioning its continued engagement with officials they say are tied to Iran’s security apparatus.
For those still in detention, Mohammadi’s execution has deepened fears that similar cases could be pushed rapidly through the courts.
The combination of protest-related charges, allegations of foreign links and the use of forced confessions has left many families fearful and uncertain about the fate of detained athletes.
Messages sent to Iran International and posts on social media were divided over Wednesday’s strike on the South Pars gas field in southern Iran, with some welcoming the hit on state-linked assets and others warning of civilian costs.
US President Donald Trump said Israel had struck Iran’s South Pars gas field “out of anger” over developments in the Middle East, describing the damage as limited and warning there would be no further attacks unless Iran targeted Qatar again.
The strike marked a shift in a conflict that has spread across the Persian Gulf, disrupting energy flows after Iranian missiles targeted facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Strike seen as blow to state-linked networks
Some messages sent to Iran International framed the attack as a setback for institutions tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
“Israel, by hitting South Pars, saved us from more theft… the money was turned into bullets fired at our children,” one citizen wrote.
Another, who said he had worked on projects in the field, downplayed the long-term impact.
“Even with the complete destruction of all 24 gas refineries… they will return to production in less than three months,” he wrote, adding that supply lines from offshore platforms would shut automatically and protect reserves.
A separate message from an engineer challenged concerns about offshore facilities.
“The platforms are not even fully operational because of sanctions… after the Islamic Republic, they can be rebuilt better,” he wrote, contrasting them with higher-quality installations on the Qatari side.
Others shifted the focus away from infrastructure entirely.
“The main infrastructure was the young people they took from us… the rest can be rebuilt with better technology.”
Social media posts echoed that line in sharper language. “Don’t worry about infrastructure,” one post read. “What infrastructure are you talking about? What life was left that needed infrastructure?” it added.
Concerns over civilian impact
Other messages cautioned that strikes on energy infrastructure would translate directly into hardship for civilians.
“Don’t look at infrastructure so simply,” one user wrote. “Lack of electricity and gas means death – cold, hunger, medicine shortages.”
Another post rejected attacks on non-military targets. “Hitting Iran’s infrastructure by any side is condemnable. It belongs to all Iranians,” the message read.
Some called for limiting strikes strictly to military-linked targets. “Please just hit those responsible and leave non-military infrastructure alone.”
One message also questioned the timing. “Hitting South Pars at this moment is not the last and best solution,” it read.
Back to corruption and rebuilding
Even among those critical of the strike, some framed the debate through long-standing economic grievances.
“If infrastructure belonged to the people, no one would be searching in trash for food.”
Another argued that damaged facilities could ultimately be replaced. “That worn-out infrastructure… will be rebuilt better – but those lives won’t return,” the user wrote referring to thousands of people killed during the January protests.
Others pointed to historical reconstruction. “Germany and Japan were flattened in World War II – where are they now?” one user said.
Across the exchanges, a recurring thread linked both support for and opposition to the strike back to mistrust of the Islamic Republic, with many portraying the country’s energy wealth as mismanaged or diverted, and arguing that any future recovery depends less on infrastructure than on political change.
