Nowruz is the ancient Persian festival that influenced New Year’s traditions in Iran.
Nowruz, meaning “new day,” is the traditional Iranian and Persian New Year. It begins at the vernal equinox, usually on March 20 or March 21, rather than on December 31. The celebration marks the arrival of spring and is observed across Iran and by many communities in Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Balkans, and the Middle East.
Its roots reach back to pre-Islamic Persian culture, and the festival continued through major political and religious changes. Families prepare by cleaning homes, visiting relatives, and setting a Haft-sin table with seven symbolic items whose Persian names begin with the letter “sin.” Customs vary by region and household.
Nowruz is often mistakenly treated as simply Iran’s version of Western New Year’s Eve. It is a distinct equinox festival with its own calendar, symbols, and multi-day traditions. Yaldā Night, another important Iranian celebration, occurs at the winter solstice and is not the Persian New Year.