Iranian Americans Mark Somber Persian New Year Amid Unrest

Celebrations tempered by crackdown on protests and regional conflict

Mar. 19, 2026 at 10:10am

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Iranian Americans are marking the Persian New Year, Nowruz, with a mix of somber remembrance and muted celebrations. Many communities have canceled or scaled back their usual festive gatherings following a deadly crackdown on protesters in Iran in January. Others have organized smaller, quieter events to honor the holiday's traditions while acknowledging the ongoing unrest and conflict in the region.

Why it matters

Nowruz is a major cultural and religious holiday for Iranians and Iranian Americans, typically celebrated with joyous festivities. However, the recent violence and political turmoil in Iran have cast a pall over the celebrations this year, as the community grapples with grief, uncertainty, and a desire to maintain their traditions in the face of oppression.

The details

Some Iranian American communities, such as in New York and Southern California, have canceled their usual large Nowruz parties and events. Others, like at New York University and in Los Angeles, have organized more subdued gatherings with vigils, poetry, and modified traditions like fire-jumping. Organizers say they feel compelled to carry on with Nowruz celebrations to defy the Iranian regime's efforts to suppress the holiday, even as they temper the festivities to meet the somber mood.

  • Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is celebrated on the spring equinox, which fell on March 19, 2026 this year.
  • The crackdown on protesters in Iran occurred in January 2026, less than two months before Nowruz.
  • U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran, killing the Supreme Leader, in late February 2026, shortly before Nowruz.

The players

Shima Razavi Gacek

A 46-year-old Los Angeles resident who has lived in the United States since she was 5 years old.

Marjan Khalili

The president of the Long Island Ladies Association, a group of elderly Iranian American women who host an annual Nowruz celebration.

Shani Moslehi

The chief executive of the Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce in Southern California.

Hedi Yousefi

The organizer of a Norooz Bazaar in Manhattan that showcased vendors, artists, and a memorial wall listing the names of some 3,000 people killed in January.

Tabeer Taabur

The president of the Tennessee Kurdish Community Council, which is planning a Nowruz event in the Nashville area to show solidarity with people across the war-torn region.

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What they’re saying

“It is such a beautiful and joyous time of year. This year, it's not, but we need our community more than ever.”

— Shima Razavi Gacek

“People are not in the mood to celebrate the New Year. That's what Nowruz is -- we welcome the New Year, and now we really don't have much to welcome, you know?”

— Marjan Khalili, President, Long Island Ladies Association

“Everyone I hear from is not doing well. The dancing and singing lasted a day, and people realized just killing that one guy is not going to solve the problem.”

— Shani Moslehi, Chief Executive, Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce

“They want us to be quiet. They want us to shut up and don't talk and celebrate. But we have to talk about our culture, we have to keep our tradition alive.”

— Hedi Yousefi, Organizer, Norooz Bazaar

“It's not going to be a grief celebration or a sad celebration.”

— Tabeer Taabur, President, Tennessee Kurdish Community Council

What’s next

Organizers in the Iranian American community say they will continue to find ways to celebrate Nowruz and honor their cultural traditions, even as they grapple with the ongoing unrest and conflict in the region.

The takeaway

This year's Nowruz celebrations among Iranian Americans reflect the complex mix of sadness, resilience, and determination to maintain their cultural identity in the face of oppression and violence. The community is finding ways to honor their traditions while also acknowledging the grief and uncertainty they are experiencing.