21 killed, thousands injured in Iran’s ‘Chaharshanbe Suri’ fire festival

Fireworks and explosive materials cause casualties despite security measures

At least 21 people have been killed and 6,419 injured in celebrations marking Iran’s “Chaharshanbe Suri” fire festival, authorities said Wednesday. In the capital Tehran, festivities began after iftar, the fast-breaking meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with participants lighting fires and jumping over them, while others set off fireworks, sparklers and even homemade explosives. Despite warnings from the Tehran Police Department that drone surveillance would monitor the use of explosives, multiple fatalities were reported due to such materials. Iran’s Emergency Medical Services announced that nationwide casualties included 21 deaths and 6,419 injuries, with 18 people in critical condition. Tehran and the country’s East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan provinces recorded the highest number of injuries. Earlier in the morning, authorities had reported 19 deaths and 5,568 injuries. In Iran, which follows the Solar Hijri calendar—a system based on the sun’s movement—Chaharshanbe Suri is celebrated on the last Wednesday night before Nowruz, the Persian New Year marking the arrival of spring. Popular among children and young people, the event includes fire-jumping, fireworks and homemade explosives, often causing serious accidents. Each year, the celebrations and preparations result in dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries across the country.