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Iran’s annual Fire Festival (Chaharshanbe Suri)
Iran’s annual Fire Festival (Chaharshanbe Suri), traditionally a prelude to Nowruz celebrations, erupted into widespread anti-regime protests across major cities on March 18, 2025. Demonstrators in Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Isfahan, Ahvaz, Tabriz, and other urban centers defied security forces, setting fire to images of the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and chanting slogans calling for the downfall of the clerical dictatorship. The event, which has long been a flashpoint for political dissent, saw intensified confrontations between protesters and state security forces.
Despite heavy police presence and preemptive warnings from authorities, Iranians used the National Fire Festival as a stage for political defiance. Reports from across the country confirmed protests in cities such as Rasht, Qom, Sanandaj, Dezful, and Bandar Abbas, with demonstrators chanting “Death to Khamenei” and “Death to the Oppressor, Be it Shah or Supreme Leader.” In Mashhad, protesters hurled Molotov cocktails at images of Khamenei, symbolizing their rejection of the ruling establishment.
In Tehran’s Haft-e Tir Square, youths set fire to state banners while others clashed with riot police in multiple neighborhoods. In Karaj, demonstrators targeted security vehicles with firecrackers and handmade explosives, prompting a harsh crackdown by the police. The commander of Tehran’s police force had earlier warned that anyone throwing fireworks at officers would be arrested, a statement that underscored the regime’s growing fear of popular uprisings.
People in Iran mark the Fire Festival (Charshanbe Suri) by burning photos of regime founders and leaders, including Khomeini and Khamenei in multiple cities including Tehran, Rasht, Qom, Golpaygan, and Shiraz.#چهارشنبه_سوری #IranProtestspic.twitter.com/u71NtwaXH0
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 18, 2025
The protests were not limited to urban centers. Reports indicated that in rural and provincial areas such as Lordegan, Larestan, and Golpayegan, locals also participated in anti-regime demonstrations. Video footage shared online showed people setting up bonfires in defiance of government restrictions and shouting anti-regime slogans.
Activists dubbed this year’s Fire Festival “The National Uprising of Flames”, marking it as a significant moment in the ongoing resistance against the clerical regime. A statement from opposition groups declared, “The only response to the Supreme Leader’s tyranny is fire—fire that will cleanse the nation of oppression.”
March 18—Bandar Anzali, northern Iran
Iranians mark the Fire Festival (Charshanbe Suri) by chanting slogans against the regime:
"Down with Khamenei, damned be Khomeini"#IranProtests #چهارشنبه_سوری pic.twitter.com/0Pl8uN4T1b
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 18, 2025
The Fire Festival demonstrations came just a day after the latest round of “No to Executions Tuesdays” protests, during which families of death row political prisoners gathered in Sanandaj, demanding the halt of planned executions. The families of six imprisoned activists, including Vahid Bani Amrian and Pouya Ghobadi, staged a sit-in, calling on international organizations to intervene. Amnesty International had previously condemned the Iranian judiciary for sentencing these individuals to death on politically motivated charges.
Meanwhile, Iranian security forces increased their presence in key cities ahead of the festival, attempting to preempt large gatherings. However, the sheer scale of protests demonstrated the public’s defiance despite the state’s violent crackdowns.
While state officials attempted to downplay the scale of the unrest, security forces were dispatched and deployed tear gas and rubber bullets in several locations but failed to disperse determined demonstrators. The government’s strategy of suppression has only fueled further resentment. As one anonymous protester in Isfahan told a local activist group, “We are not afraid anymore. This regime only understands force, and we will resist until the end.”
March 18—Ardebil, northwest Iran
Iranians celebrate the Fire Festival (Charshanbe Suri) despite security measures by the regime and chant "Down with Khamenei" #IranProtestspic.twitter.com/eaY6Zw0l6l
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 18, 2025
The Fire Festival uprising has demonstrated that the regime’s grip on power continues to weaken in the face of relentless public discontent. With inflation soaring, the economy in freefall, and living conditions deteriorating, many Iranians see no hope in reforms and instead demand the complete overthrow of the clerical dictatorship.
The overwhelming turnout for the Fire Festival protests is a clear signal that Iran is on the verge of another massive nationwide rebellion. The regime’s brutal crackdowns and failed attempts at suppression have only intensified public fury, setting the stage for an unstoppable wave of resistance. As the Persian New Year dawns, 2025 may well be remembered as the year that sealed the fate of Iran’s ruling elite.