TEHRAN, Iran — The streets in Iran’s capital, Tehran, briefly returned to their normal traffic-jammed chaos Thursday ahead of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, despite the ongoing war.
People stood in line at nut shops, purchased flowers and bought new clothes for Nowruz, which typically sees families gather together. Nowruz is Friday.
“It is a ritual once a year — we have to gather with our beloved in spite of the war situation in the country, “ said Mina Sabouri, a 37-year-old mother of two. “I wish there was no war but I cannot forget our national traditions, too.”
The tempo of airstrikes in Tehran, which has been hard hit in the war, was noticeably lower Thursday.
Fatemeh Kamali, 29, stood mesmerized by colorful children’s clothes in one showroom.
“This Nowruz, I did not buy any dress for myself because of the war and high prices,” she said. “I only bought some clothing for my 8-year-old daughter to keep her a bit happy.”
