Foreign Relations between Iran and the United States

Since the Iranian Islamic revolution in 1979, the United States and Iran have had no diplomatic foreign relations. Prior to the revolution, Iran was essentially one of America’s strongest allies in the Middle East. I have decided to do some research into key factors that led the United States and Iran to reverse course and become enemies instead of friends. Although the Islamic revolution was thirty years ago and is certainly a must as a starting point to better understand the current relationship between the two nation states, it is important to take a look at what Iran has become since the revolution and what direction the country is going towards the future. My write up will focus on how I feel the United States should best approach Iran with the goal of enhancing the relationship.


The 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran is known as an event that made Islamic fundamentalism a political force from Morocco to Malaysia. On February 1st, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini arrived in Teheran from exile in France. Over five million Iranians lined the streets to welcome him home. The country had a new start, one without the much hated Mohammad Reza Shah, who fled the country two weeks prior to Ayatollah Khomeini’s homecoming. The 1979 revolution has been one of the most significant historical events in Iran. What brought about the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Shah’s government?

Most expert historians would say the 1979 Islamic Revolution was brought about because of unpopular actions of the Shah and the resulting mistakes and successes of different political forces. The Shah positioned Iran as a very close friend of the United States. He had a liberal policy towards westernization, a process whereby societies come under or adopt the western culture in a variety of manners. This did not go over very well with the overwhelming large Shi’a population in Iran. In addition, there was a sizeable amount of American advisors in Iran to offer assistance in managing the country. Many nationalistic Iranians considered the Shah to be nothing more than a puppet for the west. Another move the Shah made to upset Islamic traditionalists was the change from an Islamic calendar to an Imperial calendar. Instead of the first day being the flight of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, it was the birth of Cyrus. This was perceived by many as the Shah having a complete disregard for the religion of Islam. Unfortunately, the American policies that the Shah so faithfully abided helped create the Islamic Revolution. The 1953, a coup d’état by the CIA, left a sour taste in the eyes of the Iranian people as it related to undue American influence. By the end of the 1970’s, the American government was pressuring the Shah to liberalize the country. This eventually led to the American government underestimating or not reading accurately the goals of radicalism, specifically of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Another huge complaint of the Islamic Fundamentalists was the oppressive Shah government. Any potential opponent the Shah had was suppressed and marginalized, usually by the SAVAK. The SAVAK was the domestic security and intelligence service of Iran from 1957 to 1979. It has been described as Iran's "most hated and feared institution" prior to the revolution of 1979. It was associated with organizations such as the CIA, and was known for its brutal torture and execution of regime opponents. Many people believed that the SAVAK was violating the Iran Constitution of 1906.

Although the Shah left Iran’s economy on a positive side, it can be very misleading to an outside observer. The failure of his overambitious 1974 economic program involving oil left many Iranians dealing with extreme poverty. As in any sharp economic downfall, there followed a period of extreme economic growth. According to an expert scholar on the revolution, this scenario created more disappointment “than if people had been left in poverty all along.” The funds coming in from oil revenues were distributed unevenly. It was a scenario where the rich were able to become richer while the poor suffered even more than before.

A major oversight of the 1979 Islamic Revolution was the inability of the Shah to estimate the strength of the opposition. The specific religious opposition led by Ayatollah Khomeini. Even during the Ayatollah’s exile in Iraq and France, he was able to illegally smuggle recording tapes into Iran preaching against the Shah’s regime. As previously stated, the Shah’s close contact with the United States and his view of westernization led to Ayatollah Khomeini convincing the large Shi’a population that this was simply inappropriate within the bounds of Islam. After it became apparent the Shah would be overthrown, any attempt to reconcile the country of Iran came as too little too late.

Iran has a history of being involved in terrorist related events perhaps best illustrated by their involvement in Lebanon in 1982. Robert Baer, a CIA operative, was stationed in Beirut at the time of the bombing. He tells the story of a young man in a GMC pickup truck who drove up to the end of a road and waited for a sign. It was a beautiful day in Beirut, and Lebanon was taking the necessary steps to reconcile its affairs with Israel. Lebanon was in a position to recognize Israel as an official state. In the American’s mind it was the start of a new era of relations for Israel and the United States in the Middle East. A Mercedes car then advanced down the road and gave a wave at the young man in the GMC truck resulting in the truck proceeding down the road towards the American Embassy in Beirut. Baer describes the situation as so unexpecting as nearby schools were letting out with cars double parked in the streets. When the truck arrived at the US Embassy it made an abrupt left, went under the portico the wrong way, drove straight into the lobby, and blew up killing many American diplomats and Lebanese civilians.

The United States still feels the effects of the 1982 suicide bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut. It was the first time the United States was forced to leave a country because of terrorism. When looking at the attack from a tactical sense you have to put aside the lives lost and look at the brilliance of the operation. The Palestinians were never able to pull off an operation of this caliber. Over a period of many years, it was concluded by the CIA, that Iran played a huge role in conducting the operation. In the opinion of many intelligence professionals, Iran was deemed responsible as they paid for it, trained the people, smuggled the explosives into Beirut, and covered up the information involving the entire task. Iran’s hand in attacks did not stop in Beirut. There were additional attacks against the Marines at their barracks and another US Embassy shortly thereafter.

Iran's influence has certainly been felt throughout the Middle East. During the eighteen year period when Hezbollah battled the Israeli military in Lebanon, Iran provided most of the support to Hezbollah. In 2006, Hezbollah forced Israel to retreat beyond their borders because of heavy military resistance. The thirty four day war started with Hezbollah shooting rockets into Israel and ended with Hezbollah shooting just as many rockets as when the war started into Israel. It is difficult to truly calculate how much credit Iran should be given but in the end it is fair to say that without their assistance to Hezbollah then the war would have likely had a much different outcome.

The recent war between the United States and Iraq, greatly helped Iran because the United States was able to disband an elite Sunni Army. Iraq was interpreted as the shield of the Sunni Arabs but this label subsequently fell early in 2003. A similar situation is occurring in Afghanistan. By the United States destroying the Taliban, they once again, like Saddam, took out Iran’s enemy. Over the past three years, the Taliban has seen a resurgence in Afghanistan. With President Barrack Obama sending more troops over to Afghanistan than ever before it is safe to assume the Taliban will be once again disbanded. Iran has had two unsought victories with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since 1982, Iran fought a brutal war with its nemesis Iraq. It is unclear how many people in Iran actually lost their lives but in the Oval Office it was determined that Iran was a country falling apart. The economy was going straight downhill and they failed to legitimize a strong military presence. Therefore Iran was essentially ignored because it was clear in the American’s eyes it would fall sooner or later. What Iran was really doing, was blackmailing the rest of the Middle East by the use of asymmetrical warfare and weapons provided by the Chinese and Russians. The blackmail is better understood by Iran’s ability to halt over seventeen million barrels of oil a day. They would simply have to sink a few oil tankers going across the Straits of Hormuz or fire off one of the many missiles they have acquired at Saudi Arabia’s oil fields. Iran has control of over fifty five percent of the world’s oil reserves if they choose to exercise them.

This brings up the question of what does Iran really want? It has the outline of an empire in Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It is a potential empire run by different proxies. For example in the Gaza Strip, it effectively funds the Islamic Jihad Organization and Hamas. If we take Iran’s record going back to the attack on the US Embassy in 1982, and follow it through the hostage taking, the attacks in Buenos Ares, the attacks on the Israeli Embassy, the Jewish Cultural Center, the attack on Khobar Barracks, it is fair to assume it is a terrorist state. In 1996, the Iranian’s attacked the Khobar towers in Saudi Arabia proved to be the last military attack. These attacks and support of proxy warfare is not to attack against the United States but a preparation for the day we leave places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

As Iran became more powerful it became more responsible. The United States has generally missed this uprising. For example, the thirty four day war between Hezbollah and Israel gave the Iranians the opportunity to take dozens of Americans hostage. The author Baer claims the he has talked to Iranians that say this whole idea of destroying Israeli is propaganda. What they really are trying to achieve is military dominance throughout the Middle East. Iran does not really care about what happens to the Palestinians as long as the Palestinians accept what Iran wants to happen. Hezbollah, as assumed, shares the same mind set as Iran.

One of the problems facing America is that they pay too much attention to non factors in the Middle East. The main focus is on Ahmadinejad, who the Iranians refer to him as bi-polar. He spent two millions dollars on widening the streets of Tehran in return for the Mehdi. He communicates with the Mehdi by dropping post it notes down a well. It is very evident that he is not a rational president. There is good news though because Ayatollah Khomeini is more rational and has complete control over the military.

One of the big issues surrounding the United States and Iran foreign policy is the development of the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program. The big question surrounding this issue is how realistic it is whether or not the Iranians would be able to get enough energy and supplies to develop a nuclear weapons program. According to the CIA, Iran has suspended its development program. Many people feel that the Iranians are using the nuclear weapons card and taking it to the bargaining program. In an event where they were able to obtain enough uranium to produce a nuclear weapon it would likely be made clear to the United States. Regardless of what Iran wants on the bargaining table, if it’s the predominant voice in Afghanistan or Iraq, they would be able to turn in that nuclear weapons card.

As mentioned, Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic foreign relations since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Tehran never forgave the United States for supporting the ruthless Shah. Angry Iranian students took American diplomats hostage for 444 days following the revolution.

There has been much discussion about how to directly deal with Iran, since President Barrack Obama has come into office. President Obama already said he is fully committed himself to the cause of total nuclear disarmament in Iran. Although I do believe this will not sit very well with the Iranians, it is necessary. There is no reason not to believe that Iran now has five thousand centrifuges for enriching uranium and is steadily moving toward achieving the capability to build nuclear bombs. These issues go side and side with Iran’s engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Iranian government places a high priority on defeating al-Qaeda and the Taliban, extremist Sunni groups that pose a direct threat to Iran’s Shiite population. If President Obama is to dissuade Iran from building a nuclear bomb, as well as develop a successful regional strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan, he will have to develop an integrated approach toward Iran that addresses all three issues.

First, both sides must recognize the connection among these issues. Success with one can build trust and create confidence needed for progress on the others. Failure on one could stymie advancement on the others. Using military force against Iran's nuclear facilities, for example, would make cooperation on Iraq and Afghanistan impossible. Discussions across a broader agenda also create opportunities for constructive compromise. A concession on one issue can be used to resolve a sticking point on another.

Second, for such a strategy to work the US must consult in advance other nations including, most particularly, the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council (France, Britain, Russia, and China), the UN secretary-general, Israel, Turkey, Pakistan, and the Arab countries. The governments in the region have a direct interest in Iran's nuclear program, the future of Iraq and Afghanistan, and US–Iranian relations. All of the countries listed have a stake in one or more of these issues, and success is more likely if they believe their concerns are being taken into account, not excluded.

The third requirement of an integrated strategy would be to create a continuing forum or other institution that would allow the US, Iran, members of the Security Council, and neighboring governments to discuss questions involving Iraq and Afghanistan. No such institution now exists.

My central recommendation would be that the United States engages Iran directly and without preconditions. There must be an open dialogue between Iran and the United States for talks to resume and make progress. To no surprise of anyone, President Obama’s three main security issues are Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran’s nuclear program. All three of the countries are intertwined and relate to each other. In the final analysis, President Obama must find a way to resolve all three of these major issues or in all likelihood none of them will ever be solved.

Sizdah Bedar (سیزده بدر)

     Sizdah Bedar is the final day of the Nowruz festival.  The Nowruz festival lasts thirteen days and Sizdah Bedar is celebrated on that thirteenth day of Farvardin.  Sizdah (سیزده) means thirteen in Farsi, and Bedar (بدر) means "to get rid of."  Thirteen is seen as an unlucky number in ancient Persian culture and in Islam as well.  The idea behind "getting rid of the thirteen" is for the whole family to get out of the house and leave the evil spirits behind as they go out and enjoy nature.  Many of the cities are virtually empty on this day giving them that eerie peacefulness. 

     As families make their way into the countryside with their picnic baskets fully packed they are joyful and optimistic.  It is an extremely happy day of being outside with the family and making new friends.  Many families plan to go out with other families and it is common to have groups of hundreds of people getting together. The elder family members enjoy teaching younger family members about their Persian heritage, traditions, and culture.  When the kids get restless of listening to their grandparents ramble on about the good old days they love to fly kites, play soccer, and other games.  The elder men turn to their own games and love to challenge their minds with games of backgammon and chess.  

     Sizdah Bedar is also a day for wishful thinking.  It is customary to make wishes about the coming new year and the many challenges ahead.  Young girls enjoy knotting blades of grass symbolizing the wish to find that special someone and fall in love.  Traditionally girls will sing "Next Sizdah-Bedar, I hope to be in my husband’s home, and as a lady holding a baby" (In Farsi: Sizdah Bedar Saal-e Degar Khaaneh-ye Showhar Bacheh Beh Baghal) as they knot the blades of grass.  It is an excellent day to meet people and many girls wish for this day all year hoping they will meet a nice boy.  Many parents purposefully introduce their children to to other children in hope of arranging a love connection. 

          The highlight of the day is to throw the sabzeh (سبزه) from the Haftsin (هفت سین) table into the nearest lake or river.  During the twelve days of the Nowruz festival the sabzeh has been collecting all of the pain, suffering, and ill will that the coming year willl bring.  It is a ritual practice on Sizdah Bedar to bring this sabzeh with you on your trip to the countryside so you can get rid of it.  It is important to remember not to touch another's sabzeh as it it considered extremely bad luck.  It can bring all of that family's pain and suffering upon yourself.  

     Sizdah Bedar is becoming a more political holiday due to the actions of the current Iranian regime.  The current regime is trying to change the name "Sizdah Bedar" to "The Day of Nature" in order to de-emphasize its pre-Islamic origins.  This has many Persians outraged and causes some to mount protests on this day.  Protesting makes the current regime very nervous so the Basij are out in force on this day, which creates high tension between the government and regular people heading out to the countryside with their families.           

Muhammad al-Mahdi (The Twelfth Imam)

     Muhammad al-Mahdi was born in 869 AD, in Samarra, which is located on the Tigris River in central Iraq. “This Imam in hiding was said to have been born circumcised, and Ibn al-Amri reports on the authority of the Imam’s aunt that his mother gave birth to him without bleeding “as is the way of the mothers of the Imams (Arjomand, Said A. "The Crisis of the Imamate and the Institution of Occultation in Twelver Shi'ism: A Sociohistorical Perspective." pg. 2).” His mother’s name was Narjis Khatun, the daughter of Joshua. Joshua was the son of the Byzantine Emperor Michael III, which makes Narjis the granddaughter of a Roman Emperor (Tayyebi, Nahid. "Mother of Awaiting."). She reportedly had a special dream one night that she would convert to Islam and marry the eleventh Imam. Sometime after her dream there was a huge battle between the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid Empire, and Narjis quietly slipped into a disguise as a servant girl to go with the army to war. The Byzantines and the Abbasids were at war from 851 to 863, many battles were fought and it is unclear exactly when she secretly slipped away. The Byzantines lost the battle and she was taken as a slave along with the other servant girls. She was purchased by Imam al-Askari and became his wife just as the dream had told her.
     Al-Mahdi’s childhood is one of secrecy, and not much is known about him. His father, Imam al-Askarikept his birth a secret from the Abbasid caliphs for fear that they would kill him. Imam al-Askari had been persecuted his whole life and had spent most of his life under house arrest in Samarra (Shabbar, S.M.R. "Story of the Holy Ka'aba and its People." pg. 14). In 874, Imam Askari was poisoned and he died. He left behind one son who was five years old, according to Twelver Shi’i. Imam al-Askari was a great scholar and teacher and loved by many. His funeral was attended by many including the Caliph al-Mu’Tamid. Imam al-Askari had a very unique funeral as S.M.R. Shabbar writes

“When they all lined up and were ready to commence prayers, Imam al-Askari’s brother Ja’far stood in front of the people to lead the prayer. Before he could commence the prayer, a five year old boy came out of the house and went near his uncle. He shook his mantle and told him, “set aside uncle, only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of an Imam.” His uncle Ja’far stepped aside and this five year old boy lead the prayers. Immediatley after the end of the prayer he went inside his house and was not seen by his pursuers, lead by the Caliph Mu’tamid himself (Shabbar, S.M.R. "Story of the Holy Ka'aba and its People." pg. 14).”

This is the moment that Twelvers refer to as the “lesser occultation.”
     Al-Mahdi’s disappearance shook the Shi’i community to the core. For those who believed in the lineage of the Imams, cracks would start to appear as the story of what many believed really happened that day became arguably different. Many believed that Ja’far was the next Imam, since Imam al-Askari had no children that anyone knew of. “Others asserted that the twelfth Imam had not yet been born, but would be born in the last days just before the Day of Judgement. Others asserted that it was Imam al-Aksari who had gone into occultation (Momen, Moojan. An Introduction to Shi'i Islam. pg. 162).” The Shi’i that believed al-Askari was still alive was because according to them a childless Imam cannot die, therefore he is the one that is in hiding. There were others who had alternate beliefs to these and the Shi’i community split into at least twelve different sects. After al-Mahdi had disappeared a man by the name of Uthman al-Amri, who was very close with al- Mahdi, his father, and grandfather appeared. He had already claimed to be in contact with the tenth and the eleventh Imam who some believed were also in occultation. He was attached to a network of followers who were known as Wikala. “The main purpose of the Wikala was to collect the khums, the zakat, and other kinds of alms for the Imam from his followers (Hussain, Jassim M. The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam. pg. 4.1 ).” Since he already had established himself as the leader of the Wikala, and was in contact with the tenth and eleventh Imams, there was no reason to believe that taking charge of collecting for the twelfth Imam was out of the ordinary.
     Eventually there were four agents put in charge of being intermediates to the Twelfth Imam. Al-Amri called on his son Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Uthman to be his successor. “For forty-five years these two laid claim to the position of being the agents of the hidden Imam (Momen, Moojan. An Introduction to Shi'i Islam. pg. 163).” When al-Amri died Abu’l-Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh an-Nawbakhti became the third agent to help ibn Uthman communicate with al-Mahdi for the Twelver Shi’i. The fourth and final agent was Abu’l-Husayn Ali ibn Muhammad as-Samarri. A week before his death he received a letter from al-Mahdi saying:

“May Allah give good rewards to your bretheren concerning you, for indeed you shall die after six days. So prepare your affairs, and do not appoint anyone to take your place after your death. For the second occultation has now occurred, and there can be no appearance until, after a long time when Allah gives His permission, hearts become hardened and the world becomes filled with injustice. And someone shall come to my partisans (Shi`a) claiming that he has seen me; but beware of anyone claiming to have seen me before the rise of al-­Sufyani and the outcry from the sky, for he shall be a slanderous liar (Hussain, Jassim M. The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam. pg. 7.1).”

Al-Mahdi had predicted all four of the deaths of his previous agents, and from here he has decided that there will be no more connection between him and his followers. This marks another transition in Twelver doctrine known as the “Greater Occultation.”
     The “Greater Occultation” was very difficult for many of the Shi’i. “The multiplication of extremist
claimants to the "gatehood" of the hidden imam, and the absence of communication between the imam's holy seat and the Shi'i community for a second time, deepened the sense of trial in this period of perplexity, and many Imami Shi'is left the fold, threatening Imami Shi'ism with extinction (Arjomand, Said A. "The Crisis of the Imamate and the Institution of Occultation in Twelver Shi'ism: A Sociohistorical Perspective." pg. 509 ).” Similar to Christianity the Shi’i now must wait for this occultation to be over with, and their redeemer to return. Al-Mahdi is destined to return before the final Day of Judgement. He will return and have an epic battle with the forces of evil and the enemies of the Shi’i will be annihilated.

Key Terms for Understanding Trends in Modern Islam

Allah-The name of the one and only God
Adhan- The call to prayer
Adab- Customs and traditions
Caliphate- The line of Caliphs starting with Abu Bakr in 632 AD and ending with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1924, it is most important within the Sunni school of Islam
Dhimmi- Protected  minorities, particularly people of the book, popular in Iran and was called the millet system in the Ottoman Empire
Fatwa- A legal decision rendered by a Mufti who is qualified to make religious decisions.

5 Pillars of Islam- Generally thought of as the five most important actions a Muslim must do. The first is to believe and testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God (shahada). The second is to perform the five daily prayers (salah). Next is regular charity (zakat), followed by fasting during Ramadan (saum) and pilgrimage to Makkah (hajj) if the believer is financially and physically able.

Ghayba- The unseen, or occultation according to Shi'a beliefs

Hadith- Oral traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad or close associates of his. Sunnis and Shi’ias have different collections of Hadith. A minority of Muslims reject the Hadith all together, only believing that the Qur’an is the only source of Islam.

Hajj- A pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars of Islam requiring all Muslims (who are physically and financially able to) to make a trip to Mecca to visit a number of sacred sites including Kaaba, which is the most important of the religious sites.

Halal/Haram- Different acts, foods, traditions, beliefs, words etc. that are allowed or forbidden according to the rules in the Qu'ran and Hadith

Itjihad/Ijma- Itjihad is the process of reasoning in deciding a legal religious ruling, Ijama is the verdict of the ijtihad

Imam- This word can have several meanings, the most basic of which is a person leading a congregational prayer, in which case any Muslim can be an imam for a specific prayer. However, it can also be used to describe a full-time professional ‘alim, who performs functions similar to a rabbi, or in the Shi’a context, to describe the descendents of the Prophet and Ali who are said to be infallible (Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Husayn, etc.)

Islam- The submission or self-surrender to God. Derived from the root seen-lam-mim, which carries the connotation of peace and tranquility. One who practices Islam is called a Muslim.

Jihad- Meaning personal struggle. It can encompass military struggle, but has a much broader meaning and can include many types of struggle that are performed for God.

Ka'ba- The symbolic throne of God on Earth. A cubed shaped structure in Mecca, which Muslims face during daily prayers. Built by Abraham and Ishmael, it housed various idols until Muhammad destroyed them in 631AD after conquering Mecca. The structure is circled 7 times pilgrims during the Hajj and Umrah and houses a black stone.   

Madrassa- An Islamic religious school

Tawhid- Monotheism, this is Allah's absolute oneness, the key component of Islam

Mosque- In essence it is a place of worship for Muslims. Prayers and sermons are held here

Muslim- One who submits to God, a follower of the Islamic faith

Sunni- The major sect of Islam, which attempts to follow the Sunna of Prophet Muhammad and his companions. This school of Islam came from those who believed that Abu Bakr and his successors were supposed to lead the Muslim community after the Prophet’s death.

Shi'a-The largest minority sect of Islam, Shi’as believe that Ali bin Abi Talib was divinely appointed to be Muhammad’s successor, and that his right was usurped by Abu Bakr and Umar.

Sufi- Often described as “the mystical trend of Islam”, Sufism is about cleansing the heart and focuses more on experiencing God rather than having an academic understanding of Him

Qu'ran- “Recitation”- the verses revealed to Muhammad and written during his lifetime. Comprising 114 suras or, roughly translated, chapters, it is believed to be quite literally the Word of God by Muslims.

Shahada- To testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Sharia- The Divine Law as it exists in the mind of God- however, it is often used as if it were synonymous with fiqh, which is humanity’s attempt to understand Shari’a.

Ulama- Muslim religious scholar, these are the men that are key to itjihad 

Wahhabism- 18th century reform movement from the Hijaz, attempting to reconstruct Islam as it was practiced in the time of the Prophet. Founded by Ibn Abd al Wahhab and co-opted by the Saud family and is the state ideology of Saudi Arabia. It is criticized for producing extremists and fundamentalist thoughts while rejecting the four legal schools. It is now more or less synonymous with Salafism. Inspired such movements as Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Zakat- This is the third pillar of Islam, regular charity generally considered to the annual payment of 1/40th of ones wealth.

     

 

 

Chaharshanbe Suri (چهارشنبه ‌سوری)

     Chaharshanbe Suri is celebrated on the last Tuesday evening of the year.  It is a prelude to the Nowruz festival and the most exciting holiday of the year for many.  Chaharshanbe Suri is also known as the "Festival of Fire" because of its ancient Zoroastrian origins, and in English it means "Red Wednesday." 


Chaharshanbe Suri celebration

      Chaharshanbe Suri was a much different holiday in ancient times.  It used to be a ten day feast known as Hamaspathmaedaya "Feast of All Souls."  Ancient Zoroastrians believed that during these final days of the year the spritis of the dead would come back to be reunited with their loved ones.  The Faravahar (human guardian angels) would also attend and people would welcome these spirits into their homes.  Just before the New Year they would send them on their way with an ancient ritual.
    
     Today Chaharshanbe Suri is a day to prepare for the Nowuz
festival.  It is a day filled with house cleaning and preparation for living
relatives, and dead ones.  Children enjoy walking through the streets covered in white shrouds to represent the dead coming to reunite with lost loved ones.  The children bang on pots and pans to represent the "beating out of the last Wednesday of the year."  Wednesday is unlucky in both Persian and Arab culture and the beating of the pots and pans hold the evil spirits of Ahriman away until it passes.  These children will also go from door to door in their shrouds asking for treats.  One of the most popular treats to receive is ajeel, which is an assortment of mixed nuts and dried fruits.

     When dusk falls the real fun begins.  Children will run through the streets swinging balls of flaming steel wool and jumping over bonfires.
Jumping over the bonfire is highly anticipated by many young people and something they look forward to all year.  The bonfires are not only for fun they are also very symbolic of ancient Zoroastrian tradition. 
     In ancient times the bonfires were kept burning throughout the night in order to keep the evil spirits of Ahriman at bay.  When the sun set these bonfires would replace the sun until dawn.  They would light three
bonfires in a triangle which represented the Zoroastrian creed of "good
deeds, good thoughts, and good words." 

     Today people normally light one bonfire, and then have some fun.  They take turns jumping over the fire chanting "Sorkhi-ye to az man; Zardi-ye man az to" which in English means "Give me your beautiful red color, and take my sickly yellow paleness."  This is considered a purification rite in which the jumper's misfortunes for the previous year are taken and burned by the fire.  The fire then replenishes the jumper's soul with a new start on life for the New Year.  Fire in ancient Zoroastrian times was the symbol for life and this idea still translates to many Iranians today. 

     One of the less practiced traditions of Chaharshanbe Suri, but none the less interesting is the idea that wishes come true on this fire-filled evening.  People will make a wish and then listen to the conversations of
people on the streets as they pass by, or they will hide in shadows where they can listen to people without being seen.  They listen to the conversations and attempt to decipher any clues in the conversation relating to their wish.  It is like ancient fortune telling through random selection.  The rest of the night will be spent with family, friends, song, and dance as the night turns to dawn and the Nowruz festival is one day closer.

Nowruz (نوروز)

Happy Nowruz!

     Nowruz is the celebration of the Persian New Year and the mark of spring.  This ancient holiday is celebrated precisely on the vernal equinox using the solar calendar.  Part of the tradition is to be able to celebrate the New Year at the exact moment the vernal equinox takes place, so there are people in Iran who's job it is to determine this exact moment in time.  This exact moment (vernal equinox) is known to Iranians as "sa'al tahvil (تحويل سال )" and is similiar to how the Western world celebrates their New Year on January 1st, at midnight. It is also customary, as in western culture, to steal a kiss as sa'al tahvil approaches. 

Here is a great link that shows the calculations for Nowruz 2011

http://www.farsinet.com/noruz/sal_tahvils.html

     Nowruz is not just a holiday it is a thirteen day festival of celebration and life anew.  Preparation for this festival is immense and highly anticipated.  It is
important to have a clean house because the visiting and hosting of family and friends throughout the thirteen day festival is customary.  Iranians refer to this spring cleaning event as "Khouneh Tekouni" which translates to "shaking the house" in English.  This customary act of spring cleaning symbolizes the rebirth of nature and is not taken lightly.  It is the single most important act in preparing for Nowruz.  The idea of rebirth and things anew also translates to clothing.  It is customary to purchase a new outfit for the coming festival to impress family and friends and show them your commitment to this New Year. 

     When the celebration begins it is customary to visit the family elders first. From there you work your way down through your family and friends.  These visits are reciprocated and make for a long day of visiting with family and friends.  If "Sa'al Tahvil" happens during the daytime it is customary for the family to sit for a nice dinner and enjoy the moment before going out to visit family and friends.  Exchanging of gifts within the family at "Sa'al Tahvil" is also customary, it is not uncommon to exchange gifts with whomever you choose as well. 

The traditional meal that an Iranian family would enjoy this special day is "sabzi polo mahi (سبزی پلو با ماهی.)"

which in English translates to "herb rice with fish."



Haft Sin table

     The centerpiece of the Nowruz festival is the "Haft Sin (هفت سین)" table.  "Haft Sin" in English means the "Seven S's."  These seven S's are very important items that symbolize the New Year.  Here they are:

• sabzeh (سبزه) - wheat, or lentil sprouts to symbolize rebirth
• samanu (سمنو) - traditional pudding from germinated wheat to symbolize affluence
• senjed (سنجد) - dried oleaster fruit (similar to a cherry) to symbolize love
• seer (سیر) - garlic to symbolize medicine
• seeb (سیب) - apple to symbolize health and beauty
• somaq (سماق) - sumac (fruit that is ground into spice and used on meat and salads) to symbolize the color of sunrise
• serkeh (سرکه) - vinegar to symbolize old-age and patience

These items all hold a special place on the Haft Sin table to collectively symbolize a "Happy New Year!"  There are other items that have become popular to include on the Haft Sin table but are not necessary.  Some of these include:

• sekkeh (سکه) - coins to symbolize prosperity
• baghlava (باقلوا) - Iranian pastry made with phyllo dough, nuts, and honey
• eeneh (ايينه ) - mirror
• tokhmeh morg (تخم مرغ ) - egg (usually decorated) to symbolize fertility
• mahi talaee (ماهي طلايي ) - goldfish to symbolize life
• a book of poetry like the Shahname by Ferdowsi, or Divan by Hafez; or a Qr'an, or Bible

The Haft Sin table is similar to what the Christmas tree of the Western world.  It is something that is unique to every family that creates one.  The qualities in a Haft Sin table are brought out by the family.  They will select the items that are closest to them and represent their family, and their hopes for the New Year.  The Haft Sin table can also become a sort of status symbol.  Humans have a tendency to want to outshine one another so the more beautiful and elaborate your Haft Sin table, the more you can impress your friends and family.

Haji Firuz

     The traditional mascot, if you will, for Nowruz is Haji Firuz (حاجی فیروز).  Haji Firuz is clothed in red and his hands and face are painted black.  He represents the ancient Zoroastrian fire keepers who would tend the fires year round.  The red represents the firekeeper dress and the black paint represents how any human would look if his job were to tend a massive fire all day.  Haji will dance through the streets banging on his tambourine sing songs of cheer and a "Happy New Year!"  A popular Haji Firuz tune goes something like this "Haji Firuz eh, sali ye ruz eh" which in English "It's Haji Firuz, it happens once a year."  Like the Zoroastrian fire keeper he also goes through the streets reminding people to burn their old items and start life anew.
     Nowruz is the most important and celebrated holiday in Iran today.  It is thirteen days of fun, family, history, and fantastic food.  The end of Nowruz is celebrated on the thirteenth day of Nowruz known as Sizdah Bedar (سیزده بدر).  On this day it is imperative that everyone leave the home and go enjoy
the day with family and friends outdoors.

Persian Civilization - Key Terms

Abu Bakr
The controversial successor of Muhammad that caused the schism between Shiis and Sunnis, Abu Bakr was the close personal friend of the prophet who took his place instead of Ali, Muhammad's cousin and brother in law. Abu Bakr took over after Muhammad, taking down both the Byzantine and Sassanid Empires in order to found the first Arab-Muslim Empire, the Umayyads. 

Achaemenid Empire

This first world empire.  Initially established by Cyrus the Great, the empire would come to encompass the vast majority of Southern Asia through Egypt and Turkey.  The Dynasty includes such leaders as Cyrus the Great, Darius, Xerxes and more. 

Ahura Mazda

The Most High God of the Zoroastrianism Faith.  The creator of all things, as proclaimed by Zoroaster. 

Ahriman
The opposite of Ahura Mazda in the Zoroastrian Faith, he is the Christian equivalent of the Devil.  

Alexander the Great

A Greek military leader who was responsible for the overthrow of the Achaemenid empire.  His military invasion also brought Hellenism into the region as well as Greek influence as far as Modern day Afghanistan. 

Aramaic

The official language of the Persian, Assyrian and Babylonian Empires.  The language was the language of trade from approximately 700- 320 B.C. 

Arsacid Empire

Overthrew the Seleucid dynasty and reestablished a Persian Empire.  The empire covered much the same lands as the Achaemenid Empire and set Persia as the Roman counterpart. 

Ctesiphon

The capital city throughout a number of empires, including the Parthians and the Sassanids.  Ctesiphon was a major militaristic target for the Roman Empire throughout the era of competition between the two superpowers.  The city is located near Baghdad in Modern Day Iraq.

Cyrus Cylinder

The world’s first humanitarian charter.  The Cylinder is a document written in Akkadian.  Cyrus is reported to have spoken the words written on the Cylinder after conquering Babylon.  The scroll gives freedom of religion to the conquered peoples under the Persian Empire.

Cyrus the Great

The militaristic leader that led the Achaemenid Empire into dominion over the bulk of Central Asia and the Middle East.  He brought unity, through military force, to the Medes, the Lydian and the Babylonian empires. 

Darius

The third emperor of the Achaemenid dynasty.  He is the leader who organized the empire.  He was responsible for building projects all over the region, but focusing on Susa, and Persepolis. 

Elamite Empire 

A small kingdom located on the shore of the Persian Gulf.  The kingdom lasted until the advent of the Achaemenid Empire. 

Farsi/Persian

The name of the language of Iran, transliterated (Farsi), and anglicized (Persian). 

Farr

The belief in divine Grace.  If a ruler had approval from God, he was able to rule, or he had Farr.

Fereydun

A mythological Iranian King who held Farr and was able to overthrow the corrupt king Zahhak. 

Gnosticism

The religion wherein a physical being is corrupt and salvation comes as one is able to thrust off the physical husk.  It is a minimalistic ideology.  Gnosticism greatly influenced the early forms of many religions including Manichaeism and Mazdakism.

Ionia

The name of Ancient Greece.  The name is still in use in the Persian language. 

Jamshid

One of the most well known figures in Iranian mythology.  He is a character in the Persian epic, Shahnameh, composed by Ferdowsi.

Karbala

The site where Husayn, son of Imam Ali, was massacred along with everyone in his party as they were traveling to challenge Umayyad rule. Karbala is a very important event to Shiis because that is when Husayn became a martyr for their beliefs.

Key Khosrow

An important figure in the Shahnameh.  He is responsible for the end of the poor relations between the houses of Iran and Turon.  He is another example of Farr.

Khosrow I

Ruled during the Sasanian Empire.  He brought about much reform in the military and in social spheres. He also made a peace treaty with the Greeks that brought peace between the Roman Christian Empire and the Zoroastrian Sasanids for a time.

Ma'mun
Ruled during the Abbasid Empire, Ma'mun appointed Taher as his general who then went on to create his own empire called the Taherid Dynasty. Ma'mun launched a cultural renaissance by supporting Greek, Arab, and Persian thinkers at court. He supported the Mu'tazila and Persianism in the Abbasid period peaked under his rule. 

Mani

The man who fathered Manichaesism.  Mani strove to meld many of the then current religions into a fused religion, which emphasized the suppression of the physical in favor of the spiritual. He lived during the early Sasanian Empire. 

Musa al-Khwarizimi
 Wrote the first text that solved linear and quadratic equations. His famous work, al-Jabr wa al-Muqbabala, is where we derive the word algebra from. 

Mu'tazila
A group of Muslims whose thought was based on Aristotelian logic. They rejected the belief of predestination because a just God would not punish you for something you were already predestined to do. They argued that the Koran has a literal, outer meaning, but also an inner spiritual meaning. 

Noruz

Nowruz is the traditional celebration of the ancient Persian New Year. Nowruz means “New Day” and is celebrated the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar. It was originally a Zoroastrian holiday and believed to have been invented by Zoroaster himself. Since the Achaemenid Empire, the date of Nowruz has been set as the Spring Equinox. During that time, kings from different nations under the Persian Empire would bring gifts to the Shahanshah of Persia. It is thought that the Jewish festival of Purim is adopted from the Persian New Year. Haft Sin, or the seven S’s, is the traditional table setting of Nowruz. It includes seven items starting with the letter S in the Persian alphabet. 

Pahlavi Script

The language sometimes referred to as Parsi or Sasanian Middle Persian. It used a form of the Aramaic script. It was probably only known by a small minority, largely scribes.

Parthia

A region in the east of present day Iran. The Parthians were originally a nomadic people who raided the eastern edges of the Achaemenid Empire until they settled in Parthia and became subjects of that empire.  The Parthians helped drive the Greek Seleucid empire out of Persia and established the Parthian empire under Mithridates (Mehrdad) I. He built an army camp outside Seleucia, which later became Ctesiphon, the capital of the empire.

Persepolis

Persepolis was one of the three capitals of the Achaemenid Empire. Persepolis was a complex of palaces located 70 kilometers northeast of Shiraz, founded by Darius. The earliest remains date from 518 BCE. Construction continued after Darius’s death by his son Xerxes and even until the downfall of the Achaemenid dynasty and conquest by Alexander the Great. Under Alexander the Great, Persepolis was burned, although it is not clear if it was intentional. 

Persia

The name of the country of Iran from the 6th century BCE until 1935 CE. 

Rostam

Rostam is the greatest hero of Iranian mythological history and a character in the first cycle of the Shahnameh. It is said that he was so large when he was born that he had to be delivered by cesarean section, the world’s first. 

Salm, Tur and Iraj

A myth from the first cycle of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.  Salm, Tur and Iraj are the three sons of Fereydun who inherit his world empire. The west is given to Salm, the north and east to Tur, and Iran (the center of his empire) to the youngest son, Iraj. Salm and Tur are jealous of Iraj and attack and kill him. This sparks a feud between Iraj and Turan that lasts for a long time in Iranian myth and legend.

Sasanid Empire

The Sasanid Empire is the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 CE to 651 CE. Under Sasanid rule, the orthodox version of Zoroastrianism was re-instated. Sasanid rulers held the title of Shahanshah and assumed guardianship of the sacred fire, the symbol of the national religion. 

Satrap

During Darius’s reign, he divided his empire into twenty satrapies, each with a governor known as a satrap, as well as a military commander. Each satrap had a good deal of autonomy and reported to the ruler. It was an effective governing system even though it did not stop revolts and rebellions in the various regions and provinces. 

Shah

Shah literally means “king”. 

Shahanshah

Shahanshah literally means the “king of kings”. It was the title that many Persian rulers took. Basically it means emperor. 

Shanameh

Shahnameh is the best-known and complete source of Persian mythology. It means “The Book of Kings” and was written by the poet Ferdowsi around 1000 CE. It is made up of three cycles: the Pishdadiyan; which is pure mythology, the Keyanyan; a combination of myth and legend, and the Sasanian; an account of the history of the Sasanian monarchy. 

Silk Road

The Silk Road was an extensive network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East Asia with the Mediterranean and North Africa and Europe. Its name comes from the lucrative Chinese silk trade. The general route passed along northern Iran and was an important path for cultural, commercial and technological exchange. During the Achaemenid Empire, the Persian Royal Road linked different routes of the Silk Road. The Royal Road ran from Susa to the port of Smyrna in modern Turkey. It had postal stations and relays at regular intervals with fresh horses and riders at each relay. 

Susa

Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. Today, the modern Iranian town of Shush is located at the site of ancient Susa. 

Ummayads
661-750 C.E. They were the first Arab-Muslim dynasty after Abu Bakr defeated the Sasanids. They stressed the primacy of Arabs but adopted many Sasanid administrative processes. Arabic became the official language at court but because many people still spoke Persian the two scripts fused together. 

Wild Ass Bahram I

Bahram V or Wild Ass Bahram was the fourteenth Sasanid King of Persia. He was the son of Yazdegerd I and took the throne by force. He loved music, wine, women and hunting gur (wild ass). According to tradition, he died in quicksand while hunting. 

Xerxes

Xerxes was the son of Darius and continued his work on Persepolis during the Achaemenid Empire. 

Yazdegerd I

Yazdegerd I (399-421 CE) was a Sasanid king who was favorable to Christians, which angered Zoroastrian priests. The Shahnameh describes his death; he was kicked to death by a mysterious, and possibly divine, horse. 

Zoroaster

Zoroaster is the prophet of the Zoroastrian faith. The date of his birth is a matter of controversy, but it is said to be sometime between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE. 

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is the world’s first recorded monotheistic religion. It has ideas of last judgment, heaven, hell and Satan. The holy book is the Zend-Avesta, which was written in Avestan: the language of the Achaemenid dynasty. Ahura Mazda is the one creator and ruler of all. Cyrus the Great was the first Zoroastrian Persian emperor. The Zoroastrian symbol Faravahar is meant to symbolize the ideal state.