Amid war and annihilation, life and nothing more. Happy Nowruz

The mindset that, during the era of guerrilla movements in Iran, sought to suspend joy with the slogan “Our holiday will be the day when no trace of oppression remains,” has resurfaced this year—after the mass killings of January and amid the ongoing devastations of war—with even greater force and intensity.

The prohibition of joy has nothing to do with communism; rather, it is rooted in a deeply religious, ascetic worldview. We have seen this logic clearly in the Islamic Republic—especially during the Iran–Iraq War and in the ongoing conflict with US-Israel: “We have given martyrs—Chaharshanbe Suri is forbidden,” “Postpone weddings until after the war,” “Do not celebrate birthdays,” “The families of the martyrs are in mourning, so, tighten your hijab,” “Do not laugh loudly; it adds salt to their wounds.” In short: joy is suspended, vitality suppressed, adornment prohibited; in a word, life itself is put on hold.

Today, this same mindset is being reproduced, regrettably, even by some who identify as communists, often in the form of angry, punitive attacks on those who, despite ongoing human tragedies, choose to celebrate Nowruz.

This outlook must be confronted. It must be challenged openly and without hesitation. We must say, clearly and forcefully, that this destructive, anti-life, and ultimately inhumane way of thinking has nothing to do with communism, the working class, or genuine solidarity with human suffering. Solidarity does not mean suspending life; on the contrary, defending life, even in the darkest of times, is itself a form of resistance.

Standing alongside families who have broken with rigid, self-denying religious traditions, and who seek healing through dance and the affirmation of life—even in ceremonies of farewell—I wish you all a joyful spring celebration and a year filled with hope, renewal, and well-being.