The Revolutionary Guards news agency of Fars quoted Tehran’s Chief of Police Sajediniya on March 16 as saying: “Since the beginning of this year, we have had 365 operations of various kinds in Tehran; moreover, we have had special missions all through the year as well.”

He stated that Fire festival is held by the youth in the alleys and neighborhoods confessing that it is impossible for the security forces to control them. He added: “I am asking the parents to make sure they are beside their children in the days prior to Fire festival.”

Concurrently, the Fars news agency reported Esmaeil Hassanpour as saying: “Regrettably, Fire festival has turned into a problem in this country, especially for Tehran.”

Rafizadeh, the General Director of Tehran’s Citizens’ Instructions, counted regime’s measures to control this social uprising and said: “The General Department for Citizens’ Instructions has published a special edition on the issue of Fire festival and has produced the information and advertisements regarding this matter in the form of a wall paper which has been distributed in the schools with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education. Additionally, with the cooperation of the 22 districts of Tehran’s municiplality, brochures and pamphlets have been produced on this topic and provided to the citizens. Also billboards have been put up in the days close to this ceremony.”

Concurrent with Tehran, there have been extensive measures taken in all cities of Iran, especially the large ones, to control the youth during this day.

Mostafa Ariya, mayor of Shiraz which is a central city and a tourist attraction, said: “All security, military and control provisions have been taken for Fire festival. If people are arrested in the Fire festival, they will stay in jail until the end of vacations of the Iranian New Year of Nowruz(Iranian new year) which begins on March 20 and they may be held even longer. We shall firmly confront them so that this Fire festival will not turn into Fire festival (burning).” He went on to advise the people to mourn during this day using religious pretexts.

Warning issued by Governor of Shiraz Township:

Those who break the law in the Fire festival will be detained until the end of the vacations.

Shiraz, Ariya news agency: Governor of Shiraz Township, by stating that those who break the law during the Fire festival shall be detained until the end of the vacations, reported: 

Mostafa Amiri reiterated on avoiding any kind of unlawful and immoral acts and noted: “All security, military and control measures have been taken for Fire festival.”