When clocks struck nine across Tehran on Tuesday, the night skies filled with sound in celebration of the 47th year of the Iranian revolution. We listened from our hotel balcony as chants of 'God is greatest' rose from rooftops and roared from windows. Fireworks flared in a kaleidoscope of brilliant colours. But this year, in this annual explosion of light and sound, there was a discordant note. We heard 'death to the dictator' shouted too from somewhere in the darkness of the city, from the safety of spaces indoors. It was a dramatic echo of the extraordinary wave of protests, which swept some streets and squares of Tehran, and towns and cities across this country last month. They were met with unprecedented lethal force and a huge loss of life unseen in previous uprisings.
It's our first trip to Iran since the protests, as the authorities slowly lift their near total internet blackout, described as one of the longest digital shutdowns in history, and gradually allow a small number of international media to return. The mood in the capital is in stark contrast to our visit last June, at the end of the 12-day war with Israel, which also drew in America's attacks on Iran's nuclear sites. That deadly conflagration had left many residents, including those who fled Tehran for safer cities, shaken by the blistering attacks and cemented their attachment to their country.
Now, this sprawling metropolis set against the stunning, snowy Mount Damavand is decked out in flags and bunting to mark what's known as the 'ten days of dawn' — a period that ushered in an historic revolution that ousted the shah, totally transformed Iran. However, this year, the days are overshadowed by discontent and defiance over the soaring prices of everyday goods hitting people's pockets, compounded by US sanctions and economic mismanagement. Iranians expressed a mixture of joyous celebration and serious concern about the future, revealing the duality of their experience on one of the most significant anniversaries in the country's modern history.
It's our first trip to Iran since the protests, as the authorities slowly lift their near total internet blackout, described as one of the longest digital shutdowns in history, and gradually allow a small number of international media to return. The mood in the capital is in stark contrast to our visit last June, at the end of the 12-day war with Israel, which also drew in America's attacks on Iran's nuclear sites. That deadly conflagration had left many residents, including those who fled Tehran for safer cities, shaken by the blistering attacks and cemented their attachment to their country.
Now, this sprawling metropolis set against the stunning, snowy Mount Damavand is decked out in flags and bunting to mark what's known as the 'ten days of dawn' — a period that ushered in an historic revolution that ousted the shah, totally transformed Iran. However, this year, the days are overshadowed by discontent and defiance over the soaring prices of everyday goods hitting people's pockets, compounded by US sanctions and economic mismanagement. Iranians expressed a mixture of joyous celebration and serious concern about the future, revealing the duality of their experience on one of the most significant anniversaries in the country's modern history.
