Amid conflict and fear, Nowruz has taken on a different meaning for Iranians this year
(CNN) — Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is a time of family, renewal, and the promise of fresh beginnings. Falling on the spring equinox, it is a celebration of a “new day” for millions in Iran and around the globe. But for many Iranians, there’s little enthusiasm for festivities this year.
Caught between a wounded, angry but deeply entrenched regime and incessant US and Israeli attacks that have left thousands of dead and wounded and destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure, Iranians have been preparing for a very different Nowruz.
“I have no energy to set my haft sin and prepare my home for the spring, said Nazanin, a 36-year-old Tehran resident, referring to the traditional spread that families put out to symbolize renewal, harmony and prosperity. “How can I celebrate when I can’t see my family? We can’t all get together.”
For her and many other Iranians who spoke to CNN – their surnames withheld to protect their identities – the past three weeks have been filled with a sense of hopelessness and fear.
“Time feels suspended in some ways. We are on the precipice of something, on the edge every day but we never fall over and the usual markers of time like (Persian Fire Festival) Chaharshanbe Suri and Nowruz have come along and mean so little,” Nazanin said.
Despite the war, Tehran has continued to prepare for the Nowruz celebrations. The bazaar has plenty of goods, and the smell of hyacinths, a traditional Nowruz flower, permeates the narrow alleys, a visceral reminder of springtime in the city.
But while some like Nazanin feel a despondency heading into the new year, for others, hope springs eternal.
“Ever since this war began, it feels as though the city is lighter, even though we are getting bombarded. The weather has been perfect, the skies blue, the smog lifted. It is perfect spring weather in every sense, like the city knows we’ll be free,” said Mehrdad, a longtime resident of the capital.
In a divided society, some Iranians see a particular resonance in Nowruz this year, with the occasion’s focus on cleansing and rebirth.
“I don’t believe in signs but perhaps there is a reason that this has all happened on the eve of Nowruz,” said Ahmad, a 45-year-old living in Iran.
He and his wife are planning to celebrate Nowruz as they always do, he said, explaining “These traditions are moments of happiness. We have seen so much death in the last few months of this year I feel that it’s necessary to honor life, not let them take this away from us.”
This year’s Nowruz celebrations have not only been blighted by war. Prior to the start of the conflict, the country was already facing a dire economic situation. High inflation and unemployment – a result of government mismanagement and decades of sanctions – triggered nationwide protests against the regime in late December last year, an outpouring of public anger that ended in a bloody crackdown by security forces.
The economic conditions that lit the fire of protest have not changed. For average Iranians, even basic goods have become unaffordable. The additional cost of Nowruz celebrations is exorbitant for many.
One Tehran resident said that while they were going to mark the New Year, they could not justify the expenditure of buying flowers and preparing traditional foods. “Markets are well stocked, but a shortage is not the issue for me right now. Buying fresh herbs, buying fish, even buying flowers, are luxuries especially when we have no sense of the future.”
Iranian New Year is also set to coincide with the close of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr. The Iranian government will hold a state prayer to mark the end of the holiest month in Islam, and it is likely to be another show of strength and unity for a regime under fire.
However, for most Iranians, regardless of race, religion or creed, it is Nowruz that is taking center stage, with new – and varied – meaning in a time of conflict.
The-CNN-Wire
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