As Iran’s Fire Festival (Chaharshanbe Suri) approached, the country witnessed a surge in anti-regime activities carried out by rebellious youth determined to challenge the ruling dictatorship. In the days leading up to and during the festival, Iran’s youth conducted widespread operations across numerous cities, targeting the regime’s symbols of repression and oppression.

A Wave of Resistance Across Iran

On Monday, March 17, rebellious youth executed 20 operations in 15 cities and 100 revolutionary acts in 29 cities, striking at the regime’s centers of suppression. These acts, accompanied by slogans such as “The only answer to the mullahs is fire, let the flames rise” and “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader,” focused on dismantling the enemy’s apparatus of repression.

Key actions included:

  • Setting fire to multiple IRGC Basij bases in Tehran, Mashhad, Kermanshah, and other cities.
  • Burning government billboards and banners bearing images of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini, and regime proxies in cities like Tehran, Kerman, Neyshabur, and Shirvan.
  • Attacking the headquarters of the Khomeini Relief Committee, an entity associated with regime control and suppression.
  • Striking centers of fundamentalism and suppression of women in Tehran.

Similarly, on Sunday, March 16, rebellious youth executed another 20 operations, targeting regime buildings in Khalilshahr, Tehran, and Kermanshah, as well as IRGC bases across the country. Notably, a statue of Qassem Soleimani, the slain IRGC commander, was set ablaze in Shirvan.

Fire Festival Turns into a Symbol of Defiance

The Fire Festival, celebrated on the last Tuesday of the Persian calendar year, has long been a source of anxiety for the Iranian regime. As the occasion approaches, authorities typically impose extensive security measures and launch propaganda campaigns to deter public participation. Despite these efforts, Iranians took to the streets to mark the festival with acts of resistance, transforming the traditional celebration into a show of defiance against the ruling dictatorship.

In Bandar Anzali, northern Iran, protesters chanted slogans such as:

  • “Down with Khamenei”
  • “Down with the dictator”
  • “Down with the oppressor, be it the Shah or the mullahs”
  • “Down with Khamenei, damned be Khomeini”

Throughout Iran, citizens burned images of Khamenei and Khomeini in cities such as Tehran, Qom, Rasht, Golpaygan, and Shiraz. A young protester in Karaj declared, “Death to Khamenei, hail to Rajavi,” as he set fire to a regime banner, dedicating the act to the martyrs of the nation. Similar acts of defiance were reported in Qazvin, Lahijan, and Tehran’s Nezamabad district, where youth blocked roads and celebrated Chaharshanbe Suri despite the presence of security forces.

Regime’s Desperate Countermeasures

Fearing the growing wave of resistance, the Iranian regime ordered heightened security measures across the country. The judiciary issued a directive for uninterrupted judicial services during the Nowruz holidays, particularly on the Fire Festival’s eve, to crack down on dissent. State Security Forces intelligence commander Gholamreza Rezaeian expressed the regime’s alarm, stating, “At one point, we were only setting fire to four pieces of wood, but now all that’s left is for RPGs and tanks to come in.”

A Growing Movement for Change

The acts of defiance leading up to and during Chaharshanbe Suri symbolize a broader push for regime change in Iran. The rebellious youth have demonstrated their commitment to fighting oppression and leading the way toward a democratic republic. With ongoing and expanding revolutionary activities, they continue to light a path for freedom-loving Iranians to rise up against dictatorship and reclaim their homeland.

As Iran enters a new year, the momentum of these fiery protests signals that the call for democracy and justice remains stronger than ever.

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