Iranian Americans Wrestle with Nowruz Celebrations Amid War

The Iranian new year holiday puts the emotional dissonance of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran in fresh focus for the diaspora community.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:03am by Ben Kaplan

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As the U.S.-Israel war with Iran enters its third week, Iranian Americans are grappling with how - or even whether - to celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian new year. Some are forging ahead with festivities, seeing it as an act of resistance, while others are canceling events out of respect for the situation in Iran. The holiday highlights the divisions within the Iranian diaspora, with younger generations reflecting on what it means to be Iranian from afar.

Why it matters

Nowruz is one of the highest Iranian secular holidays, typically a day of dance, music and feasts focused around symbolic foods. But the backdrop of war has amplified the emotional dissonance within the Iranian American community, with some seeing the holiday as a chance to honor their heritage and others struggling to celebrate given the violence unfolding in their ancestral homeland.

The details

Some Iranian Americans, like Kayvon Pourmirzaie and his wife Behnaz Almazi, have decided to celebrate Nowruz, seeing it as a chance to connect with their roots. Others, like the Iranian Association of Boston, have canceled all Nowruz events to "respect the people." The holiday is also highlighting generational divides, with younger Iranian Americans reflecting on what it means to be Iranian from afar. Persian restaurants are also feeling the impact, with business spiking in pro-war communities but dropping in others.

  • Nowruz, the Iranian new year, is celebrated on Friday, March 28, 2026.
  • The U.S.-Israel war with Iran entered its third week this week.

The players

Kayvon Pourmirzaie

An Iranian American who has lived his entire life in the United States, with parents who moved here before the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Behnaz Almazi

Kayvon Pourmirzaie's wife, who joined him in attending a pop-up Persian dinner in Manhattan to celebrate Nowruz.

Saeed Shafiyan Rad

President of the Iranian Association of Boston, which typically hosts multiple Nowruz events drawing thousands but called off all of them this year to "respect the people."

Hedi Yousefi

The host of Norooz Bazaar, a new year-themed showcase of Iranian American foods and artists in New York City, who decided to honor Nowruz as an "act of resistance against the regime."

Omid Afshar

A Persian American social media influencer who has been spending more time in the kitchen trying his hand at Iranian recipes in the leadup to Nowruz as a way to "reconnect with our culture."

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What they’re saying

“'Nowruz for me this year signifies a chance to see my beautiful homeland. Even more important, I'm excited for the world to see the beauty of Iran. Nobody wants war, but this is a very strong feeling for me.'”

— Kayvon Pourmirzaie

“'We want to respect the people. We just want peace and prosperity for the Iranian people.'”

— Saeed Shafiyan Rad, President of the Iranian Association of Boston

“'For me, this is an act of resistance against the regime. My grandfather always said (the regime) would like nothing more than to stop Nowruz.'”

— Hedi Yousefi

“'I'm not comfortable celebrating a tradition I love because I'm so appalled by what is happening to my family in Iran. Of course I wish for a change of regime. But it should come from within Iran, not from bombs from the United States.'”

— Persis Karim, Former director of the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University

“'Iran has been invaded throughout history … And yet Iranians kept the tradition of Nowruz alive. I will not allow this unjust war and this aggression to win. Instead of singing and dancing around the table, maybe we will pray for peace and hold hands with our guests. But the food will absolutely be there, because there is no gathering without food.'”

— Nasim Alikhani, Owner of Sofreh, a Brooklyn Persian restaurant

What’s next

The U.S.-Israel war with Iran is an ongoing conflict, and the situation in Iran remains volatile. The Iranian American community will continue to grapple with how to navigate the Nowruz holiday and other cultural traditions in the face of this crisis.

The takeaway

The Nowruz holiday has become a flashpoint for the emotional and cultural tensions within the Iranian American community as they wrestle with the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. While some see celebrating Nowruz as an act of resistance, others struggle to find joy in the tradition given the violence unfolding in their ancestral homeland. This divide highlights the complex identity issues facing Iranian Americans, especially younger generations who have never been to Iran.