Overview
- Nowruz, the Persian New Year tied to the spring equinox, unfolded in a subdued form this week as Iranians balanced grief, safety fears, and the pull of tradition.
- Inside Iran, public festivities were curtailed, with some Tehran residents staying close to home, skipping city markets, and assembling simple Haft-Seen tables from whatever they had.
- Reporting details ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian leaders and military targets, while Iran has fired missiles and drones toward Israel and Gulf Arab states.
- An internet shutdown with strict phone limits left families abroad struggling to reach relatives, with some managing only brief, costly calls or giving up after repeated failures.
- Coverage showed divergent responses overseas: a Boston rally featured open backing for foreign strikes and hopes for secular democracy, while AP and ABC accounts highlighted canceled events, quiet mourning, and defiant preservation of rituals such as fire-jumping and placing photos of the dead on holiday tables.