Vancouver City Council has included Nowruz (the Iranian New Year) in its calendar to recognize the spiritual heritage of its Iranian and other dual nationality residents who celebrate the first day of spring.

The Iranian President met with the family of Alfred Gabri on New Year’s eve to wish this Iranian Christian family a Happy New Year.

Senior Iranian officials in separate messages congratulated world leaders and all Christians on the start of the New Year.

Sabzi polo mahi, or mixed herb rice and fish, is a deliciously popular dish in Iran which is prepared on special occasions, such as the Iranian New Year’s Eve (Nowruz) on the spring equinox. Not only is this a healthy meal, it is chic enough to serve at gatherings for guests. The kind of fish cooked for this dish is up to individual taste, but the vast majority use white fish.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted Jewish New Year greetings to Jews in Iran and around the world on Sunday, as tensions mount between the Islamic Republic and Israel over Tehran’s regional role.

You may have already heard that the name Nowruz in Kurdistan was attributed to the day when the Iranian hero Kaveh Ahangar was victorious over Zahhak. This day was named “Nowruz”, meaning New Day, and celebrated as the New Year. Large bonfires were lit on hilltops and people celebrated hand in hand by singing and dancing.  

President Donald Trump issued a statement yesterday, 20 March, on the occasion of Nowruz, almost entirely addressed to Iran, as follows: I wish a beautiful and blessed Nowruz to the millions of people around the world who are celebrating the arrival of spring.

Today, 20 March 2018, Iran is ushering in its New Year on the spring equinox at precisely 19:45:28 hours. The Iranian year is based on the solar calendar and this will be the year 1397 HS. The New Year is called Nowruz, or New Day, and has been celebrated for 3000 years on the Iranian Plateau.

Tehran’s Azadi Tower gets a once over on the threshold of Nowruz, on its 46th birthday. Head of the Azadi Tower cultural-artistic complex, Nematollah Payan, said: “Azadi Tower is a tourist destination during Nowruz every year, both for visitors and Tehranis themselves. The cleaning of its exterior began last week with the efforts of the Rudaki Cultural Foundation and will be completed end of this week.”  

The play entitled “Cyrus” [Kourosh], written and directed by Pari Saberi and produced by Jahangir Kowsari, will go on stage March-April 2018 following months of penmanship and practice.

The "New Year tourism" project is being implemented for the Nowruz holidays [Iranian New Year], offering discounts from 30 to 50 percent in some hotels in Iran.  

In a New Year’s message for 2018 to Armenian Iranians, President Rouhani underlined: “We are proud of an Iran that is home to Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians. We respect all divine religions as taught to us by Islam.”