The spirit of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year that falls on Friday this year, is overshadowed by fear amid U.S. and Israeli attacks, replacing the usual sense of hope and renewal with anxiety and uncertainty for Iranians worldwide.
In previous years, the days before Nowruz were a symphony of life -- bazaars packed with families shopping, roads clogged with cars heading to hometowns to visit relatives.
This year, however, a family in the ancient city of Yazd is preparing for the holiday not with celebration, but with caution.
"With security so uncertain on the roads and in the cities, travel is out of the question. We can't expect guests from other provinces, either. These days, we can only visit the relatives who live right here in the city with us," said Mehdi, a local resident.
As travel plans are canceled, for family member Mojdeh, the joy of the season has been canceled along with them.
"The mood is so low this year that we can't even find the spirit to welcome the New Year. We're not thinking about celebrations, we're just wondering when this war will end, and what's going to happen to us," she said.
The spillover from the conflict, the threats of missile strikes and the economic collapse have together robbed them of the simplest joy of Nowruz: the anticipation of a new beginning.
Iran's New Year celebrations begin in shadow of war
