Nowruz

Nowruz is the Persian and Iranian New Year, celebrated at the spring equinox and observed across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Iranian diaspora communities worldwide. It is a 13-day celebration beginning at the vernal equinox, culminating in Sizdah Bedar ("thirteen out-of-doors"), when families traditionally leave their homes to picnic outdoors. The B1 highway bridge in Karaj, Alborz Province, was struck by a US bomb on Sizdah Bedar 2026, killing 13 civilians.

The timing intensified the strike's political resonance: Sizdah Bedar is the single day of the year when Iranian families are most visibly and culturally expected to be outside in parks and near green spaces. Striking a bridge during this period, even one under construction, carries the cultural weight of attacking a national public holiday gathering. Nowruz is recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Iranian state media has used the holiday framing extensively in its international coverage, contrasting images of Nowruz celebration with the bridge aftermath. The cultural dimension has helped Tehran win sympathy in non-aligned states and among diaspora communities that observe Nowruz, extending the strike's propaganda impact well beyond the immediate casualty count.